It Is Done
by EndingsAndBeginnings
Summary: Four girls enter the Death Note realm, and screw with the story line in hopes of saving lives; what could go wrong? Will they change things for the better, or for worse? Will any of them be killed in the process? No pairings... YET.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, I suppose the first thing in this I should do is introduce myself...**

**Hi. I'm Natalie.**

**Anyway, this beginning may actually sound familiar to you, but that would be because I wrote a different fanfiction on a different account with the whole Maxey Island idea as the base. I am so uncreative. Although, really, this story was originally just a fun project on the side that I never expected to finish, so... Well, I hope you enjoy it, in any case.**

**This first chapter may seem short, but it's really just a prologue of sorts. The first real chapter will be put out tomorrow. :D**

**Hope you like it! (Right... _I don't own Death Note_. There.)**

* * *

Maxey Island. I still remember the day I went there. I had been so excited to go there, for my mother had only just bought it in anticipation of her retirement. It was only the beginnings of summer, and the realization that vacation had begun had only just started to sink in. I woke up before the alarm went off that morning, due to a restless sleep. I'd been too excited to explore the new house. A vacation house, you could call it.

It took mere moments for me to remember what day it was, and I flung of the sheets and jumped to my feet, scrambling to get ready. I needed to keep busy; otherwise I'd probably, well, spaz. And I wasn't too fond of the idea of hitting my head on something and dying.

I wasn't just excited for the house, nor the mere idea for vacation, however. I was to bring along my best friend. As you may know, at my age, fifteen, friends seemed more important than family. At least, it seemed so, even though that wasn't very true. It was not only my best friend, too, but my two nieces. It would be the first time that my friend and my nieces would truly meet. The one other time they had met each other was when one group – my nieces – was going, and the other – my friend – was coming. They hardly even got to speak to each other. All they managed was a small, "Hello." In fact, it was more of a, "Hi-bye!"

I frowned at the shelf in my room, trying to decide if there was anything I should bring for the sake of my guests. On the shelf was a variety of anime-related items; Naruto headbands, a Death Note DS game, origami, drawing books, etc…. After gazing at the shelf for a bit, I shrugged and headed to my bed. My hand reached beneath it and pulled out a box. I clicked open the lid, and grabbed a few stuffed animals. My nieces still loved to play with them, and my friend might want to squeeze one in fear if there was a storm. …Nah, scratch the latter; she had her plushies. I grabbed four in total, one anime character per person; there was one for Near, Itachi, and Mello, plus a demented Light plushie. But that's beside the point.

After I shoved the animals into my bag, I looked at the shelf again. After pondering over it a moment, I snatched my Death Note manga box set and put that in my big black bag that served as somewhat of a suitcase. After all, the older of my two nieces may want to read it; I had accidentally gotten them both into the series, even though they hadn't read or watched it. I feared showing it to the younger of the two, though. She was only seven, so I just wanted to wait until she was a little older. As for my friend… she _might _want to read it. Might. She more wanted to watch the anime, and had gotten through part of it already.

Satisfied, I went down the stairs.

As I waited for the people to arrive, I listened to music, twiddling with my fingers. I was jumpy with excitement, I can tell you that much, but listening to the music just gave me a sort of far-off, blank look. My thoughts were far from blank, of course. My thoughts were in another world…. It's not like anyone could really interrupt me. I was alone in the house; Mom was at work. My mom, surprisingly enough, had trusted me and the others to go to Maxey Island on our own. My dad would pick us up and drop us off, and my parents would visit occasionally, but other than that, we'd be independent. I already had a whole bunch of snacks gathered on the kitchen table. We'd certainly have fun, I knew that much….

I snapped out of my music-induced daydreams when I heard the back door open and close, footsteps thumping closer to me. I pulled the earphones out of my ears, shut off my Walkman, and stood, a grin on my face.

"Aunt Natalie!" Anna, the younger of my two nieces, cried in delight at the sight of me, and jumped at me in an excited hug. She had light brown hair; so light that that it almost looked dirty blond. It had a slight curl to it at the ends, and it was put in a low ponytail. Of course, she still had hair falling down around her face, almost as though she were imitating Itachi Uchiha of _Naruto_.

"Anna!" I replied just as enthusiastically, though she'd nearly knocked me over.

Sierra, the older of the two at thirteen, trudged in with a grin on her face, weighed down by what seemed to be hers and her sister's belongings. "Hey!" she squeaked. I ran to hug her, as well. She had a darker brown hair, that also had a slight curl to it; more of a wave, actually. It was pulled into a ponytail as well, but it was higher than her little sister's. She looked a lot like me, actually, the only difference being that my hair was down, and it lay flat. My dark brown hair was completely and utterly straight. And I liked it that way. Actually, it being short, flat, and lifeless, it gave it a look that reminded many of Light Yagami. Don't ask. My best friend actually screamed when she first saw that haircut….

"Is Sam here yet?" Anna asked hopefully, speaking of my friend.

I shook my head. "No, but I'm sure she'll be here soon."

"This is gonna be so _fun!_" Sierra said happily, then carefully set down hers and Anna's things.

"Yeah!" Anna agreed. "We're meeting Sam! And we can tell scary stories at night; maybe we'll even meet a ghost. And we can play games, and have a party!"

"Yes, it shall be quite fun," I said with my '_sophisticated look_' on.

"Ooh, can we go upstairs and play until Sam gets here?" Anna asked.

"I dunno…," I replied hesitantly, putting my hand to the back of my neck. "Sam could get here at any point in time, you know…."

As if on cue, there was the sound of a bell being rung. At my house, we actually have an old-fashioned bell at our back door. The actual doorbell was in the front for people like… delivery people. And Girl Scouts.

"Stay here," I told the two of them. "I want to be sure to see the look on her face when she sees you, and vice versa."

"Okay," Sierra grinned.

I ran out of the living room, through the dining room, through the kitchen, and down the steps into the back hall. I opened the door as quickly as possible, and jumped to hug my friend once she was through the door. "Hi!" I squeaked.

"Hi," Sam muttered, shoving me off. She wasn't very fond of hugs. Ah, and Sam. Her hair was currently curly, much to my enjoyment. She had been straightening her long, deep brown hair recently, and I liked her natural look better. Plus, it made her hair more pettable.

"C'mon, _c'mon!_" I coaxed, pulling her by the wrist.

"I'm _coming_, Natalie, jeez!"

I led her into the living room, where the three had their first real meeting. Sam was bombarded with questions from Anna. Things like, "Do you really get drunk off of chocolate?" or "So you're the fangirl of Itachi?" or even "Is it true you don't like hugs?" My dad's car soon came, though, and we were on our way.

* * *

"Tell a scary story; tell a scary story!" said Anna excitedly. We were "camping out" on the floor, as that seemed to be cool to Anna. Sierra, Sam, and I didn't see anything wrong with the idea, so we were now sitting in our sleeping bags on the floor of the living room of my house on Maxey Island.

When no one else offered to obey, I sighed and obliged. I flipped into my story mode easily. My voice naturally lowered, and words flowed smoothly. "Do you know, Anna, _why_ no one has bought this house?" I asked. "Or why it's called Maxey Island? Well… there have been disappearances, you see. Long ago, a boy and his mother lived on this very island, in this very house. …Especially since it's the _only _house on the island…. The little boy's name was Max, and he was only five years old. He went missing a week after living here. He was just… gone, without a trace. No one ever found him. The mother moved out, unable to bear living in the very place her son had disappeared. Time passed, and people were hesitant to buy this place. 'There's a kidnapper,' some said. 'The boy was taken away!' Others said it was an unnatural phenomenon that caused it, and others still claimed he had wandered off on his own. He was only five, after all.

"Nonetheless, the price of the house went slowly down, and a poor family bought it. A mother, who worked as a jeweler, a father, who was searching for a job, and an infant girl by the name of Sophia. Poor Sophia disappeared the second night. Now the people grew more sure that it was a kidnapping, for how could an infant go off on her own? They closed off the house, searching the island for Sophia or any signs of a criminal. There were none. The parents of the girl stayed here even after, as they had nowhere else to go, and certainly couldn't afford another home. However, there was a month or so where they didn't come out of the house. They weren't missed. Both had fallen into a coma of sorts, and when someone went to check on them, they were dead, for unexplained reasons.

"No one bought the house for a long while after that. Not until quite recently, actually…. _We _are the next to come, and thus, my friends, _we _will be the next victims." I paused. "The end." And then, I collapsed into a laying position, as I had been sitting up before.

"Did that stuff actually happen?" Sierra asked.

"Yup!" I replied happily. "I looked it up, isn't that awesome? I _do _hope we all disappear." I gasped. "Maybe we'll be whisked off to another dimension!"

"Like Naruto?" Anna asked hopefully.

"Or Death Note!" I chirped.

"Or Black Butler!" Sam squealed.

"Or One Piece!" Sierra squeaked.

"Or Bleach," Anna grinned.

"Or Fullmetal Alchemist," I added.

"Or Vampire Knight," Sam laughed.

"Or Fruits Basket!" Sierra cried in delight.

"Or Tai-chi Chasers!" Anna exclaimed.

"Or Spongebob!" I finished with a laugh.

Anna giggled, while Sierra laughed along with me. Sam was trying not to laugh, but failing epically due to the simple fact that laughing is contagious. We soon settled down for the night, though, and Anna was the first to fall asleep while she listened to songs on my Walkman that she liked and cuddled with the stuffed animal I had brought that represented Near. It was a white teddy bear that I'd had for years. "Natalie?" Sam asked absently. "How much money have you got saved up?"

I pursed my lips, and grabbed my wallet from my purse. I don't know why I bothered having a purse; I didn't really bring it with me anywhere.

"Hey, Natalie, you said you brought along Death Note?" Sierra asked. "Can I read it?"

I smiled and giddily changed my course so I could pull out the box set of all the mangas. Then, handed it over to her. She immediately took out the first volume.

Sam gave me a look. "Wow, Natalie," she said, raising her eyebrows.

I shrugged in reply, and flipped through the paper money I'd grabbed. "Two hundred and fifty-three," I told her. "Wow, I finally broke a hundred! And two hundred… and I didn't even know it…."

"Meh…. I'm gonna get a snack," she announced, getting to her feet. She came back with a bag of chips.

I grinned and snatched a chip. "I wonder if I can eat chips dramatically like Light!" I exclaimed.

"Drama!" Sierra sang, and flipped a page. "Whoa… he looks all… happy and stuff…."

"Yeah and yeah…. Light looks so innocent in the beginning, doesn't he?"

"Oh my god, yeah!" Sam squealed. "The sparkly chips!" As if to demonstrate, she took a very dramatic bite of her chip. "I _hate _Light," she said, some chip in her mouth. "With a strong passion."

I sighed. This again. "Why ever do you hate him, Sam? I know the whole thing with L, but really?"

"He's a gay bastard! And I know when I call Sasuke gay, I don't mean it, but with Light, I _really _mean it."

"Please, Sam, do inform me your proof that he's gay." I paused. "Other than his last name."

"His hair," she said curtly. "It's so… gay… and flat. It's lifeless!"

I rose an eyebrow. "So you think he's gay because he has flat hair?"

"Yep!"

"That's kinda mean," Sierra frowned.

"Light's a creepy murderer dude with a horrible laugh!" Sam argued.

"He's still human," said Sierra.

"I thought he believed he was God," Sam shot back, raising her eyebrows.

I pursed my lips. "Guys," I interrupted, "please don't argue about this. And Sam, please stop freaking out on me."

"Speaking of fangirls," Sam said, and I frowned in confusion, "you gotta feel bad for the ones who like L…. I friggin' _hate _bananas!" Sam exclaimed, pounding her fist on the ground, and she laughed.

"Why?" Sierra gasped, looking up. "Deidara's a banana! Do you hate him?"

Sam shook her head. "There's a girl in my school who's a major L fangirl, and I was quoting her. Bananas are the last food L eats before he dies."

"Oh," Sierra said, nodding.

"Actually, the last food he ate was those little panda cookies," I pointed out.

"Whatever. Tell that to Hayley," Sam shrugged. (Hayley would be the L fangirl.)

I sighed. "Okay, guys, 'night! 'Night, Sierra, 'night Sam, 'night Anna…."

"G'night," Sam mumbled, rolling up the bag of chips.

"I'm staying up a bit longer…," said Sierra, flipping another page.

"Yup. Me too," Sam said, pulling out her iPod.

"Ah, well, 'night."

There was a pause, and Sierra grinned. "'Night Light."

I held back a laugh. "Heh… 'Night Light!"

She giggled, and I joined her. "'Night Light!"

"'Night Light!"

"Oh my god," Sam mumbled, snatching my potato chip away from me and nomming on it before I could grab it back.

"Meh," I huffed, and rolled over. "…'Night Light…," I grinned, and closed my eyes.

"Marsh-Mello," Sierra smirked.

"L-vis," I snickered.

"It's a _near-icle_!" we said together, spreading our arms palms forward in am imitation of a rainbow.

"Oh, wow," Sam laughed.

I smiled. "Good night. May you all have wonderfully weird dreams, and let us all hope we will be whisked away and discover the mystery of the disappearances."

Pause.

"Right…," said Sam.

I smiled and drifted off into a peaceful sleep. I was tired, it was late, and Anna was most likely going to be waking me up in the morning.

* * *

**If you're reading this, then you read it all the way through. *grin* Thanks. Next chapter you can guess what happens; typical real-people-enter-new-dimension story... And there will be pairings.**

**Just much, much later on.**

_**Fun Fact**_**: Because I never planned to finish this, there was a time where I never showed it to anyone. Then Sam saw it in my folder one day and asked me what it was... If she hadn't told me it was awesome, I may have never kept it going. So... yeah.**

**Review?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, if you're here, then you've read the first snippet and haven't stopped. *thumbs up* I take that as a good sign.**

**I do believe I'l be updating on Wednesdays and Fridays. Mondays and Wednesdays if I can't update on a Friday. So... yeah. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Aunt Natalie…," a voice whispered in my ear. I vaguely noticed I was cold, so I curled into a little ball and pretended to still be asleep. I didn't want to get up yet. "Aunt Natalie, please wake up…."

I cracked an eye open, finding Anna looking worriedly at me. I blinked at her. "Oh my gosh, I had a weird dream last night…," I told her in a tired, out-of-it voice. "Deidara was going to war and I had to eat this disgusting soup with a skeleton in it, and L was like, the president or something!" I looked at Anna. "And you thought he was Abraham Lincoln back from the dead! Although, the fact Lincoln starts with an L did support your theory…." I put a hand to my chin and looked thoughtfully up to the sky. And that was when it dawned on me:

_Where had the roof gone?_

I sat bolt upright. "Guys, guys!" I called, jumping to my feet. I ignored the head rush. "Sam, wake the hell up! Sierra, you lazy bum, look around you and _wake up_!"

"I am not a lazy bum," Sierra mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"Where are we?" Anna asked softly.

"I'm sorry to say this, Anna, but I have _no idea_," I replied.

"So we disappeared?" Sierra asked hopefully.

"I… guess so," I smiled. It suddenly didn't seem so bad. But then, I never was one to be even remotely freaked out in any sort of bad situation. "We got just what we asked for; yay!" I looked down at Sam. "…Someone tickle her feet."

"Got it!" Sierra announced, jumping to her feet and holding her legs down as she began to tickle poor Sam's feet.

Sam shrieked with laughter and proceeded to spaz. "_Stop it!_" she squealed like a dying cat, and Sierra obeyed. For a moment, Sam just gasped for air. Then she looked around. "…Why are we in the woods?" she asked skeptically.

I gasped, my hands flying to my head. "Oh no! That means we're far away from any civilization! Where shall we go? What shall we do?" I cried. "Well, if this is woods, and everything looks cartoon-y, perhaps this is the world of Naruto! Or Inuyasha! Or Fullmetal Alchemist!"

"Aunt Natalie," Anna interrupted, pointing behind me.

I turned around, and there was, up a hill, a road. A paved road. With modern cars on it. "…Oh," I said lamely.

"Well, let's figure out where we are, then," Sam sighed, getting to her feet.

I looked to the ground. "Hey! My money's here, too! And there's my Walkman, and the Death Note manga! And Sam's iPod!"

"And the Tangy Carolina Barbeque chips!" Sam added.

"Angry Carolina Barbeque chips," I smirked. "'Cause they're _angry!_"

Sam laughed. It was an inside joke of sorts…. "Okay, so then… where are we?" Sam asked.

"Well, some sort of anime… or manga, obviously," Sierra pointed out, as everything was, in fact, in two dimensions.

"How do we know that?" asked Anna.

"…It looks like one?" Sam responded, cocking her head to the side.

Anna squinted confusedly. "Not really…."

"…Well…" Sierra continued, "we're in an anime/manga thing, and in a place with modern technology…."

"Hmm," I droned, squinting at my niece. "Detailed hair, eyes that aren't relatively big or sparkly, detailed shadows…. Maybe… Bleach, or Death Note? I'd say Dragon Ball Z, but this just isn't that style…."

Sam frowned contemplatively. "Bleach…? With Grimmjow and Ulquorria? I'm for it. …Death Note's better though. I hope it's Death Note."

"Well, we'll find out where we are soon enough," I replied with a shrug.

"Yup!" Sierra chirped.

"Eh, oh well," said Sam. "I'll just hope for Death Note. I mean, Bleach is kinda awesome, but…." She shrugged. "I haven't even watched it."

"Well then, let's hope. Now then…," I said, and looked down at my pajamas. "I probably shouldn't be walking around in a huge T-shirt and shorts…." I picked up my money. "If we're going to be here for a bit… it looks like we're going to have to go shopping," I sighed. I wasn't fond of shopping; I found it more of a nuisance than anything else. "And we can't live off of what's left of those chips… so…. We'll buy some clothing and some food, plus an apartment or something to live in for now…."

"We're going to find a way back, though, right?" Sam asked.

"Sure; eventually. Right now I just want to figure out where we are, and decide what we're gonna do."

"Alright then," Sam agreed. "Let's go." She began walking up the hill.

"Oh, wait!" I called, and she turned around to look at me. Anna and Sierra also looked to me expectantly. "If we are in a different world… and this new world _is _Death Note… then I think we should come up with fake names. Just in case."

"Good idea," Sierra nodded.

"Ooh, how fun!" said Anna with enthusiasm. "What should my name be…. Baby Blue? Melissa? Sharon? Lilac?"

"Uh… I think that, because we seem to be in an anime, we should pick Japanese names, so as not to draw attention to ourselves. That would help if we're in Bleach, too…."

"Oh… right…."

"Got anything?" Sierra asked.

"Uh… I'm bad with names…. How about we use those names from that Japanese name thing we found on the internet?" I suggested.

Sam shrugged; Anna and Sierra agreed.

"So then… does everyone remember their names?" The three of them nodded. "Let's all each say them, and everyone else should memorize them, so we can call each other by that name instead. I am Natsumi Matsuo," I said.

"I am Michiyo Konno," Anna giggled.

"I am Yui Yamashita," Sierra chirped.

"I am Sayuri Sakamoto," said Sam.

"Alright, is anyone having trouble remembering the names?" I asked. Anna raised her hand. "Okay…. Well, for me, it's not too hard, since Natsumi sounds a bit like Natalie. And Anna's name you can remember if you just think 'me' and then Lady Chiyo from Naruto. Sierra's name is memorable by the fact it sounds like Suigetsu's nickname, just with a 'y.' And Sam… well… you can remember the 'Sa' part, since it's the same with her actual name, but… for the end, I guess the only thing I can say is think yuri."

Sam scowled.

"Off we go!" I said, changing the subject, and we headed up the hill. Sam held the Walkman and her iPod in her pocket, carrying along the chips. I clutched the money in my hand, while Sierra held the Death Note manga in the crook of her arm. We crossed a few streets, then went into a city. I tapped someone on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir, but may I ask where we are?"

The man frowned. "Kanto region," he grunted, tipped his hat so it shrouded his face, and continued walking.

"Er, okay…. Kanto… Kanto…. Isn't that a region in Japan?"

"Dunno," Sam – no, _Sayuri_ – shrugged.

We passed a few high school students who were whispering about something or another. "Better not do something _too _awful, you know," one said. I swear I heard the word 'kill' in their conversation, and I found that quite unnerving. What were they doing, plotting a murder?

We then found what we hoped was a money converter thing, and I exchanged my 253 dollars for 19,498 Yen. "Wow," I commented, "that's… a lot."

We continued on our way. "Uh, can anyone here read Japanese?" I asked when we reached a square with what seemed to be many shops.

"Nope," Sierra – Yui – replied.

"Well, there are mannequins in the window, there, advertising clothes," Sam pointed out.

I shrugged. "Let's go in!" We walked inside, and began rebuilding our wardrobes. I guess the only thing that made it fun was the fact that we could be whoever we wished. This was literally a whole new world; we could start over. I could be anyone I wanted to be; a dark person, or a bright and happy person, or a sloppy person…. The possibilities were endless. I chose a few different styles, so I could choose my look according to my mood.

We bought what we needed there, and I was sad to see a lot of my savings deplete. The new wardrobes for four people cost me 15,105 Yen. It depressed me greatly, but we needed it. However, I now only had 4,392 Yen for food and an apartment to live in. We went to the changing rooms to get into our clothes for the day. I put on some dark blue jean shorts with black flip-flops, along with a spaghetti-strap black top. I then walked out of the dressing area, waiting for the others.

"What's with all the black, Na—um—Natsumi?" Sam asked, raising her eyebrows. She, herself, was wearing longer black shorts and a black T-shirt, with loose, black sneakers. Of course, she always wore black, where as I normally didn't much care what I wore, and ended up with all sorts of colors.

"I feel like I can be another person!" I exclaimed happily. "It's almost like an extreme version of dress-up!"

"…Right…."

Sierra and Anna came out at around the same time. Sierra was wearing a light purple shirt with a chibi cat on it, blue shorts, and sandals. Anna was sporting a tan-like skort and a pink strapped shirt with a cherry blossom on the shoulder. We went to the exit, and headed into a store we hoped contained food. We bought some instant ramen and stuff like that; we didn't know a lot of the foods there, and the instant stuff was easier to cook, as well as cheaper.

I glanced up at one of the television-like screen things. I thought nothing of it – it was just the Japanese news – but then I noticed something on the TV screen that certainly helped tell me where we were. It wasn't so much what was seen on the screen – the picture was gone now – but more what the person was saying. There was another thing that struck me as odd: the fact that, even though we were among the Japanese, we understood every word as if it were English. The newscaster at the moment was speaking about one thing in particular, and it pretty much gave away where we were.

He was talking about Kira versus L.

I just sorta stared at the screen for a bit longer, shocked. We were in the world of Death Note. Great. Simply wonderful. I gulped; my mouth had seemed to have gone dry. _We are _so _dead…. _Something in my vision changed. It was like the shadings became even more detailed… or something. The shadows slipped closer… no, _stretched _closer, and the farther it went, the lighter it got. It's like the world was shaping itself to be more realistic. I rubbed my eyes, then looked around, bemused.

"Natsumi, we've all got one small treat each," Sierra smiled, and I snapped to reality. If this could be considered reality.

"Uh… yeah," I said, and looked at the small things each of them had chosen: Anna a lollipop, Sierra a few small candies, me a dark chocolate bar, and Sam a regular chocolate bar. "No, Sam," I said flatly, then shook my head, mentally slapping myself. "No, Sayuri. I don't want you getting Chocolate Drunk."

"_Why_?" she whined as I took it out of her hands.

"Because I need you to be serious if we're going to figure things out."

"I'll save it for later!" Sam insisted, snatching it back.

I sighed. "Alright…." We paid for the food; it was 2,312 Yen. I now only had 2,080 Yen to buy an apartment. It took awhile to find one, and when we did, we found the rent was 39,459 Yen a month. It may seem like a lot, but really it was 512 American dollars. Still, I hadn't even had that money to begin with, so…. "There are always hotel rooms," I pointed out, and we headed to find the price of a simple hotel room. We wouldn't mind if it was one-bedroom; this was originally supposed to be a sleepover anyway. When we found a hotel, though, we learned that they didn't price things by room, but by _person_.

"Okay," I said to the receptionist, "how much per person; the lowest price you got, please."

"4,000 Yen per person," she told us.

I sighed. "Thank you for you help," I said half-heartedly, and the four of us walked back outside. We stopped outside, near the door, and people brushed past us, unconcerned of our presence. "Guys… we're officially in the Death Note world. Just so you know."

"_Oh my god!_" Sam squealed. "I've always wanted to push L over!"

"Yay!" Sierra squeaked.

Anna merely grinned.

"I have an idea of how to get the money to get a hotel room, or even an apartment," I continued. "Sierra—crap—Yui, can I see the Death Note manga thing?"

"Sure," she replied, pulling it out of a bag of clothes. "Here ya go."

I pulled out a volume and skimmed through it quickly, hoping to find Light's address. "Crap," I muttered. "It doesn't have it…."

"Have what?" Sam asked, and I put the mangas away again.

I strode back into the hotel, the others following confusedly behind. "Excuse me, miss. Sorry to bother you again, but could you tell me the whereabouts of To-Oh University?"

"Hm? Oh, yes…," she said, and gave us its location.

I then walked quickly out, with a "Thank you," over my shoulder. I then led the way to To-Oh.

"Um, when's lunch?" Anna asked.

"Have chips for now… sorry, An—Michiyo," I said.

Sam replied by pulling out a bag of chips and offering some to Anna. Anna took some, and we ate as we walked. I, too, was hungry, so I'd take a few chips at a time and eat them one by one. "Ooh, ooh! We're in an anime, I can eat chips dramatically!" As if to demonstrate, I took a chip, and, as said, ate it dramatically. "Look, guys, I can make the air _sparkle_!"

"Wow, Natalie," Sam giggled.

"Natsumi," I corrected. "Please do your best to remember the new names… it's quite possible we could die if we give our real names."

"_Okay_…," Sam said, drawing out the word. "_That's_ not creepy at _all_…."

"Ah, here we are," I announced, gesturing to the gates. "To-Oh University."

"Why are we here, anyway?" Sam asked.

"Because we can find out a few things here…," I replied absently as I walked through the gates and headed to the doors. "May I ask where the main office is?" I asked a man I found upon entering the building.

"Right over there," he directed, pointing to the hall on the left. "If you reach the auditorium, you've gone too far."

"Alright, thank you!" I grinned, and we continued walking.

"So, what's the plan?" Sierra asked.

"We find where Light lives… and… I guess the best way to put this is I blackmail him," I shrugged.

"Um, I don't think he'll take that very well…," Sierra pointed out.

"What if you _die?_" asked Anna worriedly.

"That's just it, though. That's why I'd be threatening: he can't kill me. That's what the fake names are for. And, because I already _know _he's Kira, it's not like he can trick me into giving my real name. In fact… it'd be fun to fake my death and see his face when I get right back up again. All I can do is hope he doesn't know Misa yet…."

"What if he does?" Sierra interjected. "You'd be as good as dead! I know your smart, but not a genius, and… that'd mean there's a genius plotting your murder!"

"Yeah… it kinda makes me feel sick, but… oh well. I've always wanted a bit of action in my life anyway," I shrugged.

Sam put her hand on my shoulder. "Don't die," she told me.

"Good advice!" I grinned, just as students began streaming through the halls from one of the classrooms. "Oh… um…."

"Is that_ Light_?" Anna asked, peering around the college students.

I pulled Anna closer to me so I wouldn't lose her. "Maybe; he goes to this school," I replied.

Said main character walked past us, gazing at a sheet of paper. He didn't even notice us. I can't say if that's really a good thing or a bad thing….

"Well, we just… saw a person," I offered. "We saw a Light."

Sierra squeaked and glomped me. Anna followed suit, and I beamed, "Group hug!" When we broke apart, I looked back and mumbled, "Now to go to the office…." We headed there, and, upon entering, I couldn't help but gaze longingly at the chairs. I hadn't sat down at all yet that day.

"May I help you?" asked a gruff voice from a man sitting at what looked to be the front desk.

"Ah, yes," I answered, walking towards him. "May I have some information on a student here?"

"Sure, sure…. What're your names?"

"I'm Natsumi Matsuo, and this is Yui Yamashita, Sayuri Sakamoto, and Michiyo Konno," I smiled.

"Alright…," he said, writing them down on a clipboard. "State your business in learning your wanted information, please."

_Crap, _I thought. _Think something up quick, Natalie…. _"We're from out of town; we came to visit him and we don't have any contact information. So, we thought we could get information here…. We knew he was just entering this school."

That explanation seemed to be good enough for him, as he stood, and opened a file cabinet. "Who are you looking for?"

"Light Yagami?"

"Imagay," Sam muttered under her breath.

Anna giggled.

He began fingering through the files in the back. "Here we are," he said, pulling out a folder. "He got top scores," he commented, leafing through some of the papers. "So, what info is it you want?"

"An address would be fine, thank you," I told him.

"Alright… here you are," he said, and told us the address.

* * *

I grinned at the house before us, guarded by a small gate. "Here we are; the Yagami house."

"I feel like a stalker," Sam muttered. "A stalker of the Imagays."

"We need a cover story, though," I frowned. "Maybe we can be orphans? No, no… then how would we know our last names? How about… my parents died in a fire…. And Michiyo," I said, looking at Anna, "you were abandoned at the tender age of five."

"And my parents could have been killed!" Sierra grinned.

"And Sam, you…."

"Ran away," Sam finished. "I ran away from home."

"Alright then… and we all found each other… and lived together for a few years, and now we think of each other as sisters."

"Alright," Sam shrugged.

"In we go!" I announced, opening the gate. When I reached the door, I simply rang the doorbell, and waited intently.

Sachiko, Light's mother, answered the door. "Oh, who's this?"

"Hello, Mrs. Yagami," I greeted. "We came to visit Light."

"Oh, he's not home yet…. Come in." She stepped aside and let us through the door. "Would you like me to take your bags?"

"Sure!" Sierra replied gratefully, and handed them over. Sam also handed her a few bags, as did I.

"May I ask what they're for?"

I frowned, embarrassed I hadn't thought of this. "We're, uh, homeless…," I replied sheepishly. "For now," I added quickly. "We just need to save up a bit of money so we can afford a place."

"Oh… I may have something to give you… if I could give it to you tomorrow."

"No, no," I disagreed. "That isn't necessary."

"No, it's fine. And you can stay here tonight if you'd like. Someone could stay on the couch, and there's room in Light and Sayu's room, I'm sure."

I gave a weak smile, thinking of the idea of sleeping over a mass murderer's house was kinda creepy. _Perfect for a scary story, _I thought dryly. "No, that's fine, we'll just… er…."

"You don't _have _anywhere else, dear. Don't worry, I can assure you, you can be safe. Oh… where are your parents?"

"They… they're dead," I replied, biting my lip.

"All of you?" she asked, sounding concerned.

"No, Sayuri here ran away, and Michiyo was abandoned."

"Oh, how terrible! Come, sit down… make yourself at home. Would any of you like something to eat or drink?"

"Do you have grape juice?" Anna asked hopefully. "I'm really thirsty…."

"Sure, of course. Anyone else?"

"I'll have water, please," Sierra said.

"Me too, please," I added.

I looked at Sam. "Er, can I have some pop?" she asked.

"Of course," Sachiko smiled kindly, and headed off to the kitchen.

"I call dibs on the sofa," Sierra mumbled.

"Hey! I was gonna pick that!" Anna huffed.

"I'm sure two people could fit on this couch… although, Anna, I have to say I think you'd get along well with Sayu," I said.

"Fine," she muttered. "I'll be with her…."

"Okay, who's going to be the poor soul stuck with Light?" I asked. When everyone looked at me, I sighed.

"You _are _the one who came up with this idea," Sam pointed out with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," I mumbled. "I'm gonna sleep on the floor right here. There's no way I'm sleeping in the same room as a mass murderer. Plus, it's just awkward." I looked up and smiled as Sachiko came back in.

Sayu was the first to come home, and I wasn't wrong in guessing she'd get along well with Anna, despite her being closer in age to Sam, Sierra, and I. We all talked together while Sachiko prepared dinner. It was soon done and eaten; time seemed to go by quickly. I noticed it beginning to get dark outside, and I vaguely wondered if Light had, in fact, died randomly. Before long, Sam, Sayu, and Anna were hungry again, and eating chips together.

"You don't know Hideki Ryuga?" Sayu asked in awe, staring at the three who were completely clueless as to who he was.

"I know of him," I offered, raising a hand.

"Should we?" Sam asked after swallowing a potato chip.

"Yes!' she cried. "He's like, my _idol!_"

"The only people I find worth idolizing are people in TV shows," Sam replied.

"But he _is _on a TV show!"

"Yeah, but I meant like cartoons and anime."

"Besides, we don't really have a TV," Sierra pointed out.

"Oh, right…. But then, how did Natsumi know about him, huh?"

There was a long pause. "…I'm the most recent addition to this group," I said softly.

"Oh…."

"That's alright!" I smiled. "Stuff happens, and sometimes that stuff isn't necessarily good."

"Yeah," she agreed, "I guess so."

"So, wait," Anna interrupted, "who exactly _is _Hideki Ryuga? Why do you idolize him?"

"Well, he's a pop star and he has his own TV show. Plus, he's so _cute_!"

"I really don't get the definition of 'cute' when it comes to guys anymore," I mumbled.

"Really?" Sayu and Sam asked in unison.

"Yeah, I mean, when I think cute I think of little kittens. When I think cute, guy-wise, I come up with either a little kid or a childish… teen, I guess. I dunno. Now I'm confused." I shook my head.

The door opened, and none other than Light walked in. _So he didn't die, _I thought. _That's good…._

"Welcome back, To-Oh boy!" Sayu greeted, about to put a chip in her mouth.

He didn't respond, but instead simply walked up the stairs as if he had gone deaf. Or mute. Or both.

Sayu just gazed confusedly as he disappeared from sight. "Hey, you've got visitors!" she called. "And they're _girls!_" she added. He didn't come down to greet us, but I thought I could hear the sound of his door clicking shut. "What's his problem?" Sayu huffed, crossing her arms, popping the chip in her mouth, and gazing with an annoyed expression at where her brother had disappeared.

I sighed and got to my feet, looking in the same direction she was. "I dunno if I should go up to talk to him; I doubt he even knows who I am…. Should I wait for him to come down again?"

"Nah," Sayu sighed, leaning back into the couch. "He's probably not coming down again."

"Darn," I muttered, sighed, and then took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders. "If I don't come back, I need backup," I said, then walked with a bold stride until they couldn't see me anymore. I was soon knocking on his door.

"Mother? What is it?"

"I'm not your mom!" I called back, smiling wide. _Ha, _I thought dryly, _I'm interacting with someone who's not supposed to exist! Sure, there was Sayu and Sachiko, but this is a main character. Oh, how amusing it is…. _My grin widened.

"Who are you, then?"

"Well," I beamed, "I'd like to introduce myself, but your door is closed!"

There was the sound of footsteps and the click of a lock. Then, the door handle turned, and he opened the door. His expression contrasted with mine; he had as serious an expression as ever. "Yes?" he asked, smiling politely.

I beamed at him, trying to ignore the fire hidden in his eyes. "Hello, Light Yagami. I've heard so much about you, you know. I'm Natsumi Matsuo," I greeted, holding out my hand.

He took it, and shook it. "I'd introduce myself," he said, "but you seem to already know me." He gave a sheepish smile that I knew was unfortunately fake.

"Oh, I know more than just your name…," I said slowly, then smiled innocently. No, not yet. Stop being dramatic, Natalie, and wait. "My friends and I came here to see you, you know. It was kinda rude how you just sorta ignored us…."

"I didn't see you guys, sorry," he replied. "I guess I'm just a little stressed; second day to college, you know."

"Yes…," I said fondly. "To-Oh University, correct?"

"Yes," he responded with a smile. "I see you've heard of it."

"I've heard a lot of things," I shrugged. I knew perfectly well we were just having a sort of light, polite conversation that showed we hardly knew each other. _Now, _I thought, _how to best catch him off guard…. _"May I come in? It's just weird having to talk in the middle of the doorway."

"Oh; yes, sure," he answered, allowing me through the door.

"Hmm… your room is much cleaner than mine was."

"Was?"

"My house burnt down a few years ago," I replied brightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that…."

"Nah, it's nothing," I smiled. "Even though I'm from someplace way away from here…. At least it means no one will miss me," I shrugged. "Now, for what I came here to tell you. You see—Wait…. I think it may be smart to close the door."

"Hm?" he asked, closing the door lightly. "What for?"

"I have top secret info on the Kira case, you see, and I thought I should come to tell _you_. After all, you're Soichiro's son, and I couldn't contact any of the investigation team."

"Oh?"

"You know how Kira needs only a name and face to kill already, right?"

He nodded.

"Now, we recognize him by heart attack, but I think he can kill in other ways."

There was a small flash in his eyes that I only noticed because I was expecting it. "What makes you think that?" he asked. "It sounds a bit far-fetched."

"Well, he can kill without being there, right? So why only heart attacks? And besides, I know this because of Naomi," I told him, making things up as I went. I just hoped it was plausible.

His eyes flashed again, and I noticed his eyes narrowing. "Oh really? Now, how do you know this Naomi?"

"Her name is Naomi Misora; I knew her well…. She told me her theory. She went missing, though… so I thought I should carry on this information for her…."

"Oh… yes, I…."

"Do you want to write it down?" I smiled, edging him towards exactly what I wanted him to do. "It always helps me to think when I write things down for later inspection. It helps me think things over. I'm more visual than audio, so…."

He smiled back. "Yes; thank you. I actually remember Naomi saying something along those lines…."

"You spoke to her?" I asked, watching him pull out a slip of paper from his pocket.

"Yes, right before she… disappeared."

"I do hope she's alright," I commented. He had stopped writing; I began counting up to forty in my head. He wrote more than two words, it looked like, so I was 'supposedly' going to die of something other than a heart attack. I guess I just had to hope it was possible for that something to be impossible. So, I decidedly started counting to forty in my head, planning on pretending to die of a heart attack in exactly forty seconds.

"Yeah, me too… she seemed like a kind woman."

"Yes, she was, actually." _Fifteen…. Sixteen…. Seventeen…._

"Do you think Kira killed her, then?"

"Maybe; I dunno…." There was a pause. _Thirty-three…. Thirty-four…. Thirty-five…._ "I really hope I don't die within the next five seconds," I said abruptly, looking up at him.

"Now why would—"

_Forty._

I clutched my chest in what I hoped to look like real pain, gasping for air and trying to grab onto the edge of the bed. I then proceeded to collapse, landing in a crumpled heap, eyes wide open. Then, I allowed them to slowly shut.

There was a moment of silence, until the meanie poop began to chuckle. "You're not supposed to give out you name in times like these, _Natsumi Matsuo_," he said softly. "What I wrote must have been impossible…." He paused. "What's so funny…?" he muttered, probably glaring daggers at Ryuk.

I cracked open an eye. "So where you gonna bury me, then? I assume you're paying for my funeral, right?" I tried not laugh when he actually jumped. I got to my feet, brushing myself off. "Honestly, I didn't think my acting skills were good enough to fool you. I'm really glad whatever you chose was possible to be impossible, though, 'cause honestly, I don't think I could have faked a suicide." I shuddered. "Oh, yes, I never said hello to Ryuk!" I spun around. "Hi Ryuk! …Wherever you are…." I paused. The whole feel of the conversation had just changed drastically. "Right. Down to business. To put it bluntly, I know you're Kira, and you want me dead. Introductions are over…. So then, let's be ourselves, now, shall we?"

"You… know…."

"Two words," I smiled, holding up two fingers. "Death Note. Sad, really…."

His eyes narrowed in that natural glare that he always seems to wear. "What do you know and how do you know it?"

"Light, you silly goose, what makes you think I'll tell you? Although… you're right; I _am _gonna tell you…. I'm from another world. I know it doesn't sound very plausible, but if Shinigami are real, why not yet another world? And, in my world," I paused, and smirked, "we have ways of learning the future of worlds such as this. Oh, yes, and Light… don't try to kill me just yet. I may know too much, but right now your main concern is L. He will, if you don't keep your guard up, find you. In fact, I believe he already suspects you. Light, keep this in mind… _I am your ally._ …For now, anyway…." I paused. "I can actually help you with some of the info I have. So, do we have a pact, then? A deal, of sorts?" I asked, and held out my hand. "On my side, you don't kill me or my friends. On your side… you get the information you want, and you have permission to keep a close eye on me to make sure I'm upholding the deal."

He hesitated, but took the gesture, and shook hands with me. We both stared at each other, and I got caught in his eyes… not in a good way. It freaked me out, the way they were so… cold. Yet there was still a sense of innocence and pureness to them. I just sorta stared back, not daring to break eye contact. _I can't trust her, though. This handshake means nothing if one or the other breaks the deal. I'll have to get rid of her… but not yet. I'll wait…._

"Dude," I said, breaking eye contact and releasing his hand, "if you're going to plot my murder, please don't say it aloud. It's creeping me out…. And besides, it defeats the purpose of the element of surprise if you just give away your plans like that."

"I didn't say anything…."

"Oh… that's not weird…."

"Do the people of your world, perhaps, have the ability to read thoughts?"

I blinked, and it occurred to me that you could hear thoughts of the characters when watching the anime or reading the manga. "Perhaps," I replied.

"Could you then, perhaps, send thoughts back?"

"Not that I know of…."

He thought a moment, putting his hand to his chin. "Still… it's useful, for if I need to tell you something, but I can't say it aloud…. However, it's you that will have most of the information." Huh, he was adapting to this situation relatively quickly. But then, he _was _Light...

"You can keep me posted on the Kira case," I shrugged. "Tell me through thought any major things that happen. After all, something tells me you'll be joining the task force soon."

He looked at me curiously, looking pesive, even thoughtful. "Alright… is there anyone else like you?"

"There are three others, but they have less information than I."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Meaning, they know you're Kira, but I still know more than them."

He closed his eyes. "And who are your friends?"

"Yui, Sayuri, and Michiyo. They're downstairs right now."

"Will they give me away?"

"They won't if I tell them not to."

"Alright…. You better go downstairs then; they may be wondering if you're alright."

"Right," I beamed. "Have a nice day! We can discuss things like how you'll keep an eye on me tomorrow…. I'm sleeping over here, after all. Sleep well, and don't die in your sleep!" I then walked happily to the door, opened it, and left, very glad to have that over with. In fact, once I was out the door, I found I felt considerably shaky. _I nearly died. My name was nearly written in a flarping _Death Note_, holy _shiz_. This is the real smucking deal. _The shadows were creeping again, lengthening down the hallway; stretching. It creeped the hell out of me, that's for sure. But, in any case, our story had begun. It was done. Our beginning had been established.

I straightened up, my legs still feeling a little shivery, feeling the urge to get the duck outta there. _God, I better not fall over, _I thought, taking note of my weak, jittery body, and walked down the stairs.

* * *

**Ah... well... that was a bit of a longer chapter than I expected... Sorry.**

_**Fun Fact: **_**While I was writing that last section, I kept stopping in my typing to fight against laughter. I somehow found it highly amusing.**

**Review?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hmm... I wonder if you can tell who fangirls over who in this...?**

**Ahem, anyway, disregarding my little curiosities, here is chapter three. Unfortunately, it is also far longer than I intended, so I'll have to hope you like more rather than less.**

**Well, if you care to take the time, then... have fun reading~**

* * *

Fortunately, the four of us were able to be in the living room, given that two had to sleep on the floor. I took the floor gladly, as did Sierra, while Sam and Anna took the couch. I slept alright, but I awoke very late (or very early, depending on how you look at it). It was just one of those half-conscious times, and was about to drift back to sleep, when I remembered something and frowned in the darkness, knowing I'd have to get up.

I slipped quietly out from under the blankets, using the rays of moonlight coming from the kitchen windows as my light. I crept up the stairs pausing at even the smallest sound I made, bending my knees to help reduce the noise made by my footsteps. I reached for the door handle of Light's bedroom door, tried to open it…. _Meh, _I thought with a scowl, _it's locked. _I snuck impatiently back down the stairs, and poked Sam.

"Sayuri," I whispered. "Are you awake?" She stirred. "Sayuri_,_"I repeated, a bit more forceful. She grumbled something under her breath. I looked around. "_Sam,_" I hissed.

Her eyes squeezed even tighter shut. "Whaddaya want?"

"Do you know how to pick locks?"

She opened her bleary eyes and looked at me. "Yeah. Why?" she mumbled.

I wasn't going to ask how she knew. "Can you pick a lock for me?"

"Right _now?_" she asked, and stretched.

"Yes," I replied.

She groaned, and sat up slowly. "Sure… whatever…."

"But be quiet," I added as I grabbed her wrist and yanked her to her feet.

She didn't reply, which I hoped meant she'd obey. We both went silently up the steps.

"This door, please," I whispered, pointing to the designated door.

She pulled a bobby pin out of her hair, which helped hold a shorter patch of hair out of her eyes. She then proceeded to fiddle with the lock. There was a click, and she opened the door. It, luckily, didn't creak. "How'd you learn to do that?" I asked very quietly.

She shrugged in reply, then peered into the room. "You're going into _Light's _room?" she whispered skeptically.

I gulped, then nodded nervously.

She cocked an eyebrow.

I held up a finger to tell her, 'Just a minute,' and tip-toed into his room. Knowing full well Sam was looking skeptically at me from behind, I headed right for his desk, and reached to grab a pen. It made very little noise when I pulled it out, but I froze, heart thumping fast, as the sleeping figure in the room turned over, his face illuminated by the moonlight. _If he opens his eyes now, I'm done for! He'd be looking right at me! _I thought, and hastily screwed open the top of the pen. I gently set it down on the desk, and took out the ink cartridge.

Doing my best to be silent, I lifted the handle of his drawer (to reduce the sound of friction) and pulled it out, grimacing at the small noise it made. I gently placed the journal found inside on the desk, then felt the bottom of said drawer, trying to find the little 'key hole.' When it was found, I pushed the ink cartridge into it, and the false bottom of the drawer lifted, showing the Death Note.

Holding my breath, I reached in with my left hand, my right still holding the false bottom up with the ink cartridge, and touched it, intending to open it. No such luck. Ryuk's face immediately appeared right in front of mine, grinning at me, and my hand flew up to my mouth to stifle my yelp of surprise. I looked, horrified, back to Light. He was still asleep. I sighed in relief, even as Ryuk chuckled and stepped aside. Sure, I knew I'd see him when I touched it, but I didn't think he'd be _right in front of me_.

Taking deep breaths, I reached in and touched the notebook again, flipping through its pages until I got to the second-to-last page. I carefully tore off a little piece, closed the book, and slowly lowered the ink cartridge so the false bottom was replaced. I set the journal back in its drawer, shut the drawer, and began putting the pen back together, placing it back in it's little cup-thing. I looked at Ryuk, who looked quite interested in the events happening before him. I put a finger to my lips and mouthed, '_Don't tell_.'

"Tell?" he asked, in a normal voice that seemed so out of place in the quiet environment. "Why would I tell?"

I looked at Light anxiously, hearing my heart thumping in my ears. Ryuk, being the nice guy he is, seemed amused at my reaction. Light didn't even stir. _Well, _I thought dryly, _he seems to have gotten over the anxiety of being a murderer. _He grimaced in his sleep, and turned over. My eyes widened. …_Or not._ I walked hastily yet quietly out of the room.

"What freaked you out?" Sam murmured.

"Don't make any noise," I replied, and touched her with the paper.

"_What the fu—?_" she cried in a strained whisper, but I cut her off by clamping my hand over her mouth. I silently closed the door. "Is that _Ryuk_?" she hissed. "He's always freaked me out…."

"Yep…. Now… can you re-lock the door?"

She frowned at me in the darkness. "You're killing me," she muttered, bending forward to obey.

* * *

"Thank you," I smiled, looking up at Sachiko. After the thing from last night, I had managed to sleep in, as Anna respected the peace and was the only one awake to watch Light and Sayu leave in the morning, and informed us once we woke that Light's dad hadn't seemed to have come home at all, as he hadn't left in the morning. I was actually surprised that I managed to sleep until 10:30, although one I realized what time it was, I jumped up and began prodding Sierra and Sam awake. Anna gladly helped by jumping on top of her older sister, much to Sierra's annoyance.

"Oh, it's nothing," Sachiko assured me with a kind smile.

"I owe you one," I insisted, but she shook her head.

"Just tell me if you need any more, and don't get yourselves into trouble!"

"We won't!" I grinned, and we walked down the path and through the gate to head to an apartment. My intentions were corrected by Sam, though, as she insisted we get a hotel room instead. Once we reached the hotel and bought a room, we began settling in, picking individual drawers for each of us to put our clothes in, and putting our food in the cupboards. We soon found ourselves each on one of the two beds, Sam and Anna playing with Sam's iPod Touch, and Sierra reading the manga.

"Well," I said, getting to my feet, "I'll be back, I suppose."

"Where're you going?" Sam asked.

"Can I come?" Anna added.

"I'm going to To-Oh, and no, you can't go."

"Why?" Anna asked.

"Because I has a plan, and I have to earn trust before I can bring you into it."

"No, I mean why are you going to that college?"

"Oh…. Because I has a plan," I repeated with a childish smile. "I'm gonna get us _involved _in this! We can save people, you see…. It's one of those things I've always wanted to do, save the lives of characters, or save their souls…." I gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling.

"Hey…," said Sam. "Why can't we just make like a fanfiction and screw things up? Have fun and stuff! Like, annoy the characters and… yeah…."

"We cannot simply stride into L's room, confuse him with our knowledge, and then proceed to make fun of the characters. We would undoubtedly end up being questioned or dead."

"Stop talking so smart… it makes me feel stupid…." Actually, I was incredibly calm, and my words came smoothly. If I were excited, or on edge, or afraid or something, I wouldn't be able to talk this awesomely at all. It'd be messed up if I tried.

"Why don't we just find L, tell him Light's Kira, and then live happily ever after?" Sierra asked.

I squinted at her. "No…. You see, I'm trying to find a way to make a happy ending for _every_ character."

"Even Light?" Anna asked.

"Yes. Sierra, I'm sure you can see the good in him. You have the ability to see all sides, like me."

"Yeah… I guess so…," she replied.

"How about this?" I asked. "I try to think up a master plan that will make everyone happy. And you guys can either agree or disagree. Okay? That can be good for now, I think…. But you may want to keep in mind any one of us could die." I blinked. "Oh! Speaking of which, Yui, Michiyo, I would like you to touch this slip of paper," I said, pulling out the small piece of paper I had ripped out of the notebook.

They both stood up to touch it. "Nothing happened," Anna frowned, disappointed.

"Is this part of the Death Note?" Sierra asked, interested.

"Yup."

"So now we can see Ryuk?"

"Yup," I repeated.

"Ooh, I can't wait to feed him an apple!" Sierra squealed. "I wonder if he'll spit the core somewhere random…."

I shrugged. "He usually eats the core."

She blinked. "Huh."

"It must not taste very good," Anna commented.

"Well, it tastes delicious compared to the apples in his world," I pointed out.

"Oh," she replied.

"All three of you… if you see Light in public, don't freak out and squeal about Ryuk. And also… don't freak out and squeal about Light being Kira. Now, this paper is just a precaution. If any one of us is killed by Light, one of those left are to write 'Light Yagami' on this slip of paper. I will tell Light of this precaution, so that he will be even more hesitant to kill any one of us." I finished my explanation with a satisfied nod. "Oh, and sorry I got so excited about it. It's just…." I shrugged. "One of the biggest reasons I've wanted to come to any anime world is because I want to meet the people of it, and maybe even save some of them. So, given this opportunity, I'm going to try and do just that. I'll allow you to think about it until I get back… which will be soon." I smiled. "Bye!" Then, without waiting for a reply, I headed out the door, and began heading to To-Oh.

When I got there, I could only hope I'd gotten there at the right time. I headed to where I heard a crowd of people, and allowed that to guide me. I was wearing just some casual pants and a random shirt, as I didn't really care what I wore today, so for the few people that passed me, I looked unusual. I followed the voices, going around the corner of the actual building before finding the actual crowd. I went over to try to see through the crowd immediately. Judging by what the people were talking about, L and Light were now having a tennis match.

_I'm a little earlier than I wished, _I thought, _but that's alright. I'll just catch them when they come out…._ I tried peering over the college students in front of me, frowning to myself and cursing my shortness. Yes, readers, my small height rivals that of even Edward Elric. Getting off of my tip-toes, I crossed my arms and began to wait. I could hear the sound of the tennis ball bouncing back and forth within the tennis court, along with the awestruck conversations going on around me. I was already feeling jittery for what I was supposed to do, and I kept wringing my wrists anxiously, wanting for it to just happen already.

I eventually heard a clinking noise, followed by a call of, "Six four, Yagami wins!" that rang out over the voices of the crowd gathered. The people there then used their voices to protest against the ending of the game.

"Must've been pretty awesome if all these people wanna watch them play some more," I commented. "It must have been… _epic_." I pondered over this for a bit, then remembered I was supposed to be looking for them. "Oops," I mumbled, then looked around, finding them walking from the court in what looked to be friendly conversation. …Even though I knew it was far from friendly.

I walked at a normal pace over to them, weaving through the crowd that was slowly breaking apart. "Oh, hello, guys!" I greeted. They both looked over at me. It took a moment for recognition to cross Light's expression, but I kept going, happy to have finally gotten started. "That was an awesome tennis match you guys did."

"Yeah," Light agreed, putting a hand to the back of his neck.

L just put his index finger to his mouth, looking curious.

"And you're Hideki Ryuuga, right? Hideki Ryuuga, the one who got top marks?"

"Yes, that is correct," L replied.

I smiled and held out a hand. "Oh, it's so nice to meet you. I'm a friend of Light's, you see."

He shook my hand somewhat awkwardly, looking at Light. "You're friends?"

"Uh, yes," Light replied. "We met not too long ago, actually…."

"I see," L commented.

I leaned forward, circling L and scrutinizing him from all sides.

"Yes?"

"Are you L?" I asked bluntly, with the same curious look on my face as there was on his.

Both of them just sorta stared at me…. It was weird. They were both looking at me weirdly; how nice….

_What are you doing?_ Light snapped, most likely_ not_ intending me to hear the thought. Oh, well.

I just smiled.

"What makes you think that?" L asked, seeming even more intrigued than before.

"Oh, it was more of a guess, really. It's just that Light is the son of the head of the Kira case, and it's just that… well… it's odd how, as someone just told me, that there are no records of you. You just appeared in Light's school, basically, and went to the same college he did, with a perfect score. Plus, the name 'Hideki Ryuuga' could easily be an alias…." I shrugged. "I don't know, it just seems like the two are connected somehow. Pardon me if I'm wrong, but maybe you just remind me of him. You and L have the same personality, too…."

"The same personality?" L asked.

"Well, yes…. You're more… straightforward, I guess, and, excuse me for saying this, but I'd imagine L is more of a socially awkward person, simply because he's pretty much cut off from the rest of the world." I looked up to the sky. "Of course, then it wouldn't make sense as to why L is out here, in public. That part doesn't make much sense…. Of course, if L were to suspect someone as Kira, he may come out in the open…. And that would, of course, explain why he would choose the name. Kira needs a face and name to kill, and if he uses that name, he may very well kill off that pop idol or whatever. But then there's the point of _who _he suspects as Kira…." I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I made a silly assumption. It was very nice to meet you though. And nice to see you again, Light." I smiled at each of them in turn.

"Oh, leaving already?" Light asked.

"Yes, I don't exactly go to this school, you know. I'm only fifteen, silly!"

"How do you know each other?" asked L.

"Oh, we met while trying to figure out an investigation together," I responded before Light could. "It wasn't too long ago…. I can't say I did much though…. Light did most of the figuring out."

L looked to Light.

Light smiled at L.

"Yes, well, I should probably… go…." I began making my way away from them.

"You never introduced yourself to Ryuuga," Light interjected in a slightly strained voice.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I cried, wheeling around. I had honestly not intended to forget to introduce myself. I'd told L I was a friend of Light's, but I hadn't told my name. How silly of me…. Oops. "I'm Natsumi. Natsumi Matsuo. It's been nice meeting you, Hideki," I smiled. "I hope to meet you again sometime. You seem like a real interesting person."

"Yes," was his simple reply, and I left. Once I was out of their range of sight, I ran as fast as I could to the hotel, mentally slapping myself when I realized I'd forgotten to tell Light I was going to meet him tonight to discuss things. The 'discuss things' part would go unsaid, of course, as I would obviously raise suspicion if I were to say that right in front of L.

"Oh, hey," greeted Sam when I entered the room, followed by a "_Hi!_" from Sierra and Anna.

I gave them all a small wave, then went over to a little desk in the corner by a window. I pulled out the wooden chair and collapsed in it, breathing a deep sigh. _And this hasn't even started yet, _I thought dully, then began to search the drawers to find the little notepad they always leave in hotel rooms.

"So, what happened?" asked Sierra, which caused both Anna and Sam to look up at me expectantly.

"I met L," I replied absently, looking through more empty drawers.

"Oh my god you _did?_" Sam squealed.

"What'd he say?" added Sierra excitedly.

"Nothing much," I said. "I told him who I was and he told me he was Hideki Ryuuga, and—"

"He told you he was a pop idol?" Anna asked, looking skeptical with her brow furrowed and her head tipped down slightly.

"No, that's just his fake name at first," corrected Sierra.

I glanced at her; she was reading the manga now; I'd forgotten. "And then I left. Not really much."

"Oh," Anna frowned, disappointed. "I thought you'd get us into the Kira case or something. So we can work with him and stuff."

"Well, I was _going _to try and figure that out, but I can't write it down! I'm _visual_, so I can't do stuff in my head, and I can't pull a Near because I have no toys to manipulate, and I can't find the stupid notebook!"

"You mean the notebook sitting on the desk?" Sierra asked tentatively.

I looked on the desk. There, there was a little pad of paper and a pen. "Yeah. Thanks," I mumbled. "Oops." I looked down at the paper, pen in hand. "Now, then…."

_What can I do to save every single person that I know of? …Except for all of those criminals, I've no clue about that one._ I pursed my lips, tapping the pen on the paper. _Well, I want to save L…. But if I were to do that, then that would mean Light would be caught and killed…. And Light can't die either. Okay, we'll go to something else. Mello…. How do I save him? He dies because he's sacrificing himself to win against Kira, so if Mello doesn't die, then that would mean Takada wasn't kidnapped, so Near would never figure out Mikami has a fake notebook, and Mikami would kill everyone off. But if that happened, Near and the entire Kira investigation team would die. And Kira would rule the world. And, despite my supporting of Kira, that wouldn't be a very good world to live in. Unfortunately. _I scowled. _Everything just circles back to Light, doesn't it?_ With this in mind I looked at the paper and wrote down in the center:

_Light_

Then, with nothing else to do, I circled his name for emphasis. "And how the hell do I fix the Light problem?" I muttered. I leaned back in the chair. _Sure, I know Sam and Anna don't get it. They don't get he's actually a good guy. They hate him. They just don't understand—_

_Oh, poo. Stop it, Natalie. Now you're sounding like—_

_No, wait! I wasn't done!_

—_understand that he's utterly corrupted. Slowly being changed by that stupid Death Note…. Hey… wait… that's it. _Light _isn't the problem… the _Death Note _is…. And when is the time when that's not in play? _The answer came forth from my memory banks almost instantly. _When Light loses his memory! I need to jump into that helicopter before Light touches it, and keep him from touching it. Warn L somehow, or something._

_You know what, though? I don't think I should let L know we know all these things. We shouldn't let him know we know everything. He may believe me, but it's a pretty outlandish story. Even if he does believe me, what do we have to prove our information is real?_

_The manga. You can't forget the manga._

_But the manga would also let L know Light is Kira, and that would get Light dead, and we want everyone to have a happy ending!_

_So… we can't tell L we know everything… which means I'll have to come up with reasons I know things…. And I can use that to my advantage, too! If I make L think my deductive skills are incredible, which I hope I did today, then I get into the Kira case! Therefore, I'll be working against Higuchi when the time comes, and thus I'll be close enough to that helicopter to keep Light from touching it!_

_But wait… what about Rem? Won't L be suspicious of _me_ if I don't freak out when I see her?_

…_Then I'll just freak out when I see her. That's all._

I smiled to myself. I talk to myself a lot, can you tell? You should see me when I'm at home, all alone. I have full-blown arguments with myself, and I talk to people who aren't there. It's fun.

I get it from my mom.

I was hit with the realization that my parents were still out there somewhere. "I wonder if they know we're gone yet," I commented aloud.

"Yeah, me too," Anna replied, apparently knowing immediately what I was alluding to.

"I hope they aren't worrying too much," said Sierra.

I blinked. I'd forgotten they were there. _Right, _I thought. _I have to somehow fit them into the picture. But how the hell do I get them into the investigation team too? Anna's only seven…. Hell, I'm only fifteen! _I heaved a sigh, then got to my feet. "Okay guys, I should probably let you in on a little bit of what I'm thinking."

The three of them were all looking at me expectantly, and I frowned. I wasn't much of a person to draw attention. "Alright…. So, first off, if you see L, don't tell him Light's Kira."

"Why not?" asked Sierra immediately.

"Because one, Light'd kill you. Two, L needs _solid proof_, so that won't help him at all. And three… I made a deal with Light that I wouldn't give any of his precious information, so…."

Sam sat up abruptly. "So we're on _Light's _side in this?"

"What about L?" Anna whined.

"Uh—er—wait a second," I frowned, struggling to find words. "I'm trying to find a way to make everyone have a happy ending. And in order to do that, we—"

"But what about all of the people he's killing off?" Sierra interrupted. "I know they're criminals, but he's killing off innocent people too; like that Raye Penber guy!"

"And Naomi Misora!" Sam added, glad to be able to contribute.

Poor Anna didn't know anyone else. "Um… does BB count as innocent?"

"I don't think so…," said Sierra. "And I know that most of who he's killing off are criminals," she continued, "but I think everyone needs another chance! Nobody deserves to die!" She paused. "Except maybe Tony…."

I winced, yet found myself feeling the urge to explain things thoroughly. Show the other side of things. Tell her that yes, people deserve another chance, but there are so many people that feel the same way she does about Tony for someone else. Give Misa as an example if I had to – she wanted the man who killed her parents to die, didn't she? However, I kept my mouth shut.

"I do _not _want to work with Light," Sam protested, crossing her arms. She said the _do not_ in her special way; almost like _doughnut _but with _not _at the end instead. It reminded me of doughnut astronauts, personally.

"Me, neither," Anna agreed.

"We're not!" I cried, feeling frustrated. _Just explain a little more, Natalie. Don't get mad. Relax. Explain. _"We're not on Light's side," I said slowly. "Yes, I made a deal with him, but only so that he will not kill us. I am making every precaution I can think of to keep him from killing us. I do not want myself, nor any of you, to die. Therefore, the deal was almost _necessary_. I _did _tell Light that I was his ally, but that does not mean I will defend Kira. I am working to save L, too, you see. I want to work with him, too. I just cannot allow Light to have an unhappy ending. I just can't. It is not in my nature. Sierra, you said yourself everyone deserves a second chance. Light is only human. A corrupted human, yes, but just a human. Lost, perhaps. Think of him like _Sasuke, _if you have to."

"Yeah," scoffed Sam, "that makes me like him _so _much more!"

"Meh, Sasuke's awesome!" Anna snapped.

"Fine, then think of him like _Madara_."

"Meh… he's not worthy of being called Madara," Sam protested.

"But I _hate_ Madara," Anna frowned.

I frowned as well, then sighed. "Well then, oops. Sorry my plan is not to your liking. I'll still try my best to get you involved in the case, though, and then you can do what you want, as long as it isn't too reckless. Okay?"

They nodded in agreement.

"Okay. So, then…. I need to go out to the store…. I'll be getting cell phones so we can keep in touch, and then I'll try to find some pancake mix… and some more instant ramen. Does anyone else want anything?"

"Can you get some paper and pencils?" asked Sam. "So I can draw?"

"And a laptop?" Anna asked hopefully, earning a, "_Yeah!_" from Sierra.

I pursed my lips. "Maybe not the laptop, but I can certainly get the drawing stuff."

I ended up coming back with a laptop, pencils, pens, paper, and four cell phones, much to everyone's enjoyment. "Thank you, Light's mom!" Sam cried to the ceiling.

"Speaking of which, I need to go to Light's house…." This earned odd looks from everyone, including a skeptical frown from Sam. "So I can tell him we'll kill him if he kills one of us, and so I can let him know how to contact us," I explained with my brow furrowed. More skeptical looks. I sighed. "If my plan is going correctly, if L wants to contact us, he'll have to get the information through Light. If I give contact information to Light, then L can contact us. Okay?"

"Alright!" Anna grinned, and plopped herself back on the bed. Sierra took the laptop, and the two sisters gathered around it to begin its activation. Sam immediately took to drawing.

"Have fun!" Sam called with a wave of her hand.

"Yeah!" Sierra called, and looked up at me. "And please be careful."

I gave a big, reassuring smile, and set off with an anxiety-induced stomachache. Lovely. I _hate _anxiety-induced stomachaches. Hell, I hate _all _stomachaches. Always have, always will. Kinda like how I hate bugs. And stickiness. Ugh….

I pressed my finger to the doorbell of the Yagami house, and Light's mother answered the door. "Oh, hello again!"

"Hi," I smiled. "I came to see Light; can I stay until he gets here?"

"Oh, sure, of course," she replied, stepping aside to let me through the door. "Where are your friends?"

"Staying at a nice hotel room, thanks to you," I responded happily. "I'll have to repay you at some point…."

"How about this?" Sachiko replied as she gestured for me to sit on the couch. "You stay out of trouble."

I smiled at her as I awkwardly sat down. "Of course. I can do that much. But I insist that I pay you back once I have the money…." _I can't even keep the one promise I'm able to give her in return, _I thought to myself.

We chatted for a bit, and she made me some tea, and everything was polite and comfortable. There came a time, though, as we talked, when the phone rang. I knew immediately by the look on Sachiko's face when she answered that it was bad. "Alright…. Yes…. Thank you. Goodbye."

I straightened up. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"My husband…" she said faintly, "…has had a heart attack…."

I jumped to my feet. _Crap. I forgot about this, didn't I?_

"You… you don't mind if I leave, do you?" she asked, already rushing around and grabbing her things, such as her purse.

"No, that's fine," I assured hastily. "I'll clean up my cup," I added quickly as she tried to take it. "Just make sure you let Light know I was here; I'll leave him a note on the coffee table. I hope your husband's alright!"

"Oh; oh, thank you," she said distractedly.

"Bye, and thanks for the tea!" I called as she made her way out the door.

When she closed the door, it was suddenly silent, and I just stood there a moment, listening to her car door open and close before the engine started and she drove off towards the hospital. I then picked up my cup and saucer, went to the kitchen, and placed them beside the sink. I then tore a sheet of paper off of a notepad, found a pen, and scribbled down the hotel I was staying at with the room number, along with my new cell phone number. I added a little signature of _Natsumi _before pausing, then writing a little smiley face, folding it, writing _Light _on its cover, and running out through the living room, placing the note on the coffee table as I passed.

I headed back to the hotel feeling slightly discouraged. I needed to think things through a bit more if I was supposed to make my plan a success. For Pete's sake, how had I forgotten Light's dad was supposed to have a heart attack? _And then,_ I realized, _the second Kira will come in. And when Misa comes in, it'll get riskier for me and my group…. Oh boy._ I heaved a sigh. _No room for mistakes as time goes on. People's _lives _will be at stake…._

"Hi, guys," I greeted half-heartedly as I entered the room.

"Natsumi, look!" Sierra called, gesturing for me to come over to the computer. Sam, Anna, and Sierra were all huddled around, staring at the screen.

"What?" I asked, curiosity getting to me as I walked forward to see what they were looking at.

"Maxey Island is still in this world!" Sierra exclaimed, and I saw she was looking at a map. "That may very well be the ticket to a way home!"

"You think so?" Sam asked.

"I mean," Anna came in, "I do wanna stay here, but I kinda wanna go back, too…."

"I guess we'll just keep it in mind for when we're ready to go back," I commented with a smile. "Good job finding this, though…."

"Do you really think we'll ever want to go back?" asked Sam, looking at me oddly.

"Yeah," Sierra agreed, "why would we want to leave?"

My smile faltered as I thought. This was every anime-obsessor's dream, right? No wonder they didn't like the prospect of leaving. I wasn't too keen on it myself. "Well, to see family, right?"

"I don't miss _my _family," Sam frowned, crossing her arms.

"Well, Natsumi has a point though," Sierra said. "We'll be missing them at some point, and I care about my friends as family too, so…."

"But what if we make friends here?" Anna asked softly.

Sierra blinked. "I… don't know."

"We'll figure it out eventually," I said. "Right now, I want to sort things out so this place has a happier ending. Then we can figure out what to do from there."

"Yeah, alright," Sierra nodded.

"Well, I support the whole saving L thing, but why, exactly, do we have to keep _Light _from dying?" asked Sam.

"Well, I don't really like Light either…," Sierra agreed, wringing her wrists.

"You guys are so mean!" Anna snapped, slapping her sister on the arm, earning a "_Hey!_" from said sister.

"I already explained that it wasn't in my nature to not save someone. Actually, he's the one I wanna save most, considering the fact he was so innocent before he was… corrupted…."

"Yeah, he was _so _innocent," said Sam with sarcasm. "No offense to you, Natalie, but he called himself a _god _in the _first episode_."

I shrugged. "Overly confident, maybe? Excessive pride? Let's just _please _not argue over this. Besides, I'm working to try and save _every _person. So drop it."

"So we're saving Mello, right?" Sierra asked.

"Yep," I replied in a tired tone, and headed for the bathroom. "I'mma gonna take a shower…."

We spent the rest of the day in that room, and once it began getting dark, we all began telling scary stories. Cannibalism, serial murders, sadistic babysitters, giant flesh-eating bananas, hauntings, nuns, zombies, whatever, you name it. We talked about it. Of course, me being with both Sierra and Sam, I kept forgetting about Anna and the fact she was young and therefore easier to scare. If Sam was freaked out (who could also be slightly freaked out at a good ghost story) then Anna would be quietly scared out of her wits. But she was good at hiding fear, and thus we didn't pay any regard to that possibility.

Sam had just told a particularly creepy story about a silent murderer in a hotel when the tension mounted. We sat in an eerie silence, the only light coming from the moon through the window. Of course, none of us wanted to go next, and even Sierra was slightly shaky. All of us were thinking about the fact that we were in a whole new world. Hell, _anything _was possible, now, it seemed. Who was to say demons or monsters weren't real anymore? We were in another dimension, and in this dimension, there were Shinigami, not to mention the Death Note: the ultimate murder weapon. So yes, we all jumped when there was a knock on the door. None of us stood, either, and so there was another rap on the wooden entrance. We still did not respond, and I subconsciously was holding my breath. And then, the door opened with the turn of the handle, Anna screamed, which caused Sam and I to scream because _Anna_ had scared us.

Sierra was the only one who didn't scream.

"What?" Light asked, flipping on the light switch.

Anna cringed. "…Ryuk is scary…."

"Eh?" Ryuk replied. "Oh, I guess they can see me."

I cleared my throat, and stood, trying to slow my heartbeat. "Yes, Light, I'd like to tell you—"

"How the hell did you know where we were?" Sam yelped.

"Natsumi gave me the location," he replied.

"And how did you open the door when it was locked?" Sierra asked.

"It wasn't locked," he responded.

"…Oh," she muttered.

"Oops," I mumbled. "Well, er, as you just learned, we're still normal people, despite being… knowledgeable…. But now, I'd like to say I've ripped a small portion of your Death Note off. If you kill any one of us, then we will kill you; it's as simple as that."

His eyes closed. "I see." His mood was different from the past few times I'd seen him. First, he'd been relatively calm, yet also suspicious and watchful. Then, he was merely on edge. Now, though, he was calm and thoughtful. Huh.

"I've also come up with a way for you to keep an eye on me," I said, when no one else continued the conversation. Anna, Sierra, and Sam all seemed to be refusing to speak to him.

"Is the idea to join the investigation?" he asked, his brown eyes now examining me.

I grinned. "Something like that!"

"Well, it seems it's begun to work. Ryuuga asked about you."

"Ryuuga?" Anna asked.

"L," I explained simply.

"Yes, well, I'll be giving him your number as soon as I see him again."

"Thank you," I replied.

"I should be leaving, though. My mother is probably shaken after what happened today."

"What happened?" asked Sierra.

"My father had a heart attack," he responded. "I'd like to make sure she's alright."

"Bye then," I said with a small wave.

"Yeah." He walked toward the door, and stopped in the doorway. "And Natsumi, I'd like to say that, for the record, if you slip any information to L while on the case, you have broken the deal and I have permission to kill you." He then left, and closed the door behind him without another word. There was silence in the room.

Sam broke that silence. "I hate him _so _much."

There was another awkward pause as we listened closely to make sure he hadn't heard that.

"…I don't like him either," Sierra agreed.

Anna was silent.

"Why don't we just turn off the light and go to bed for tonight?" I asked dully, already heading for the light switch.

There were mutterings of agreement, and we were bathed in darkness. We got into our respective places to sleep – I was near Anna tonight – and I lay there, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling. Soon, I could hear Sierra and Sam's breathing deepen in sleep, and I felt I was the only one up. The only one thinking. The only one troubled.

"Aunt Natalie?" Anna whispered. "Are you still awake?"

I blinked, and turned to her. "Yes," I whispered back.

"Aunt Natalie…. I'm scared."

I blinked, at first surprised, but then I felt guilty. There was a reason my mother had restricted me from talking too much about Death Note. It was too dark for a seven-year-old mind. A notebook that, if you simply wrote down the name of someone you knew the face of, that person would die? It was horror-movie quality to a girl of her age. I could imagine the pressure of anxiety she must be going through. I could more than imagine it, actually. I could _remember _it. I used to have horrible fear problems at her age. Plus, I was putting her in danger with my plans. Honestly, she was coping better than most children would.

And her eyes; those wide, innocent, scared eyes. I couldn't allow her to go through too much. Those eyes, her _soul_, was pure, untouched, and I couldn't taint it. I couldn't taint that innocence by letting her know there _were _bad people in the world, and any one of us _could _die at any given time. I couldn't taint it. I couldn't let her lose that pureness, that innocence.

"Don't worry, Anna," I whispered. "It'll be okay. I promise."

"Bu-but I don't get it…. You guys say everything looks cartoon-y…. But everything looks normal to me. Is there something wrong with me? And… Light is scary… the Death Note is real…. All of us could _die_."

"I won't _let _any one of us die," I told her. "I swear. I'll make sure everything turns out okay."

She looked up at me in the dim light that my eyes were beginning to adjust to. "Okay," she said, then curled into a ball to go to sleep.

That was another thing about untainted children: they believed those they looked up to. They got hope from them even in the hardest of times. And I, I wouldn't let her world be shattered by seeing me defeated. It was time for me to be mature in a situation. I had to be strong. I was the adult figure in her eyes, and I would give her hope. I would preserve her purity.

* * *

**...Things go faster eventually. I swear. It's just slow 'cause it's only the beginning...**

_**Fun Fact: **_**You know that little centered _Light _that Natalie wrote? I had a font just for her handwriting. And for everyone's handwriting. Too bad that won't work here...**

**Review please?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hm... it is Monday, and despite having updated Friday, I have had time to run through and edit this. Therefore...**

**...Another chapter for you.**

* * *

Five days later, Sierra and Anna decided to go out for a walk, Anna saying she couldn't stand being inside so much. Sierra offered to go with her so she wasn't alone. Sam was flipping through something on her iPod Touch, and I was cleaning up the area we called home. Well, it was our home for _now_. As for _why _I was cleaning stuff up; I know there are people hired to clean our rooms, but that means less work for them if I clean up after my group, and I don't as much feel the need to pay them, either.

"My iPod's all confused," Sam laughed. "But… so… _stupid!_" She jabbed the screen with her finger. "It won't let me get on my Facebook…. It says my account doesn't exist."

"It probably doesn't in this world," I commented.

"Yeah, and if I go on Google and search up Death Note, nothing comes up. It's just so weird!"

"It's probably weird because it's something familiar to you that has been altered. It's something that proves to you this isn't the same world we grew up in."

She gave me an odd look. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

"Search up Kira, you'll get loads of results then," I said jokingly. "It'd probably be like an ultimate fansite if we found one of those Kira-worshipping websites back home."

"It'd probably be _creepy _if we found one of those Kira-worshipping websites back home." She began sliding her finger up the screen repeatedly. "Aha! I got it!"

"What?" I asked.

"All of the stuff I saved to my iPod, I still have. See? Look!" She held up her iPod to show Light throwing a cake in L's face.

"Wow," I chuckled, straightening the blankets.

"Well, see, this means I can save stuff from the internet in this world… as proof that we were here. To show it wasn't a dream."

I blinked. "You have a point," I commented. "That'd be awesome."

"And I can take pictures, too!" Sam burst into laughter. "If I meet L and have proof, Hayley would be _so jealous _once we get back!"

"Wow," I grinned, and began picking up the remnants of food off the ground – crumbs and stuff. There was the occasional candy wrapper here and there as well. As I bent down to grab one of these candy wrappers, my new cell phone began to ring. I, of course, jumped. I wasn't used to having a cell yet, considering I didn't have one before now. Ha. Sam laughed at my reaction, typically. "Must be Anna and Sierra," I mumbled, then got the phone from my pocket, flipping it open. "Hello?"

"This is Hideki," came a voice that definitely was _not _one of my nieces.

"Hideki?" I asked slowly, confused. "Hideki…. Hideki…. Oh! Hideki Ryuuga, the guy I met at Light's school?"

Sam looked up at me.

"Yes, that is correct. Do you remember what you said to me the day we met?"

"That I thought you were L?" I replied, sounding sheepish. I was exceptional at acting; I got it from my mom. She was… _is _a wonderful actress. "Yeah…. Sorry about that…."

"That's quite alright. Actually, you weren't too far off. I'm not L, but I am, in fact, working on the Kira investigation."

_So he's not telling me he's L yet, _I noted. "Really? That's awesome!"

"I'm glad you think so," he said in a voice that didn't sound exactly _glad_… more emotionless. "However, that is not what I called to tell you."

"By the way, how did you know my number?"

"Light told me."

"Oh. Gotcha."

"I was wondering if, perhaps, you would be interested in joining the investigation."

I beamed, and the tickling sensation of excitement filled my chest. "Of course! I'd be honored to help!"

"Good. Do you know where the café Light likes to go to is?"

"Uh… no, sorry."

"Alright, that's fine. I will meet you at three o'clock outside your hotel."

"I'm guessing Light told you where I live, too?"

"That is correct."

"Alrighty…. I'll see you at three o'clock then!"

"Good. Goodbye."

There was a click before I could respond. I flipped my cell phone shut, turned, and grinned wide at Sam. She wasn't even holding her iPod anymore; she was leaning toward me anxiously.

"L has invited me to join the investigation," I told her, and she squealed in delight. I looked at the clock on her iPod. It was 2:55. "Oh, shoot, I need to be in front of the hotel in five minutes!"

"Huh? Already?" asked Sam, but I was already trying to get my shoes on. I didn't bother brushing my hair or anything. L, of all people, wouldn't care much about how I presented myself physically.

"Yes," I replied simply. "Already. Tell Anna and Sierra where I am, okay? Bye!"

"Uh, bye!" was her call in response.

I ran quickly through the halls and wasted no time in waiting for the elevator, simply taking the steps. Doing this helped me get rid of the excess energy that was beginning to form out of sheer excitement. As it turned out, Anna and Sierra were walking in the lobby, towards our room, and caught sight of me running for the door.

"Natsumi, where are you going?" called Sierra.

"Meeting L gotta go bye!" I said in a rush, and went past them, without any regard to the fact I was in public and therefore not supposed to know he was L. Oh well. Sierra and Anna looked back at me confusedly, but I knew Sam would explain it to them. When I got outside the hotel, I sat on a bench, my leg bouncing (a habit of mine) and my fingers twiddling and my wrists being wrung. I still had some energy left, and I didn't know what to do with it. I wouldn't be able to sit still if I had too much. I'm sure I could control myself – I wouldn't run up to him and ask in a higher-than-normal-pitch voice if I could have a hug – but I'd be restless, and it would be harder to concentrate. And I needed to concentrate.

"Natsumi Matsuo?"

I looked up, then jumped to my feet. "Hideki Ryuuga?" I replied.

"Yes. Please, come." He then began to walk to the right.

"Are we walking?" I asked, trotting along behind him.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"The café is nearby."

"Um, why the café?"

"It's a good way to go to a public place where no one will overhear you."

"I see. Didn't you say Light liked it?"

"That is correct."

"Did he show you the café?"

"Yes."

"So… no super-secret, secluded place to speak in?"

"No."

"Can't you find a place you haven't used before?"

"I am not the famous detective L, I am merely his underling. I do not have good access to such things."

"Okay…. What will we be talking about?"

"You will see when we get there."

"Um, will Light be joining the investigation?"

"That is uncertain."

"Does Light know I could be joining the investigation?"

"Yes."

"What was his reaction?"

"…He didn't like it very much."

"Did he say anything against me?"

"Yes."

There was a pause, and I waited in vain for L to say what Light had said. I should have learned from the conversation that he gave short answers.

"…You don't speak much, do you?" I commented, eyebrows raised.

"I say what is necessary."

"Right…," I mumbled. We lapsed into silence.

Then, "This is the café."

"Oh!" I said, looking up at the building. L was already walking in, and I followed him hastily. We headed directly to the table in the corner, and L sat down, watching me with those wide eyes. I awkwardly slid into the opposite booth, and we were served coffee soon after with hardly a word said between us. "So then…," I began, not sure how to get things going.

"I know you're eager to join the investigation."

I laughed. "That's true, but I betcha it's gonna be harder for me to join because of my age, am I right?"

"Not necessarily. It's your intellectual ability that gets you in, not your age."

"Point taken."

"Yes, well, as you seem so keen on catching Kira, I suppose giving you nothing would be quite disappointing."

I pursed my lips as he took some papers out of his pocket. _Well, he isn't telling me he's testing my abilities. There's a difference. _"Yeah, probably. I'm kinda hoping not to be disappointed at all today, though."

"Let's both hope then."

"Okay!" I beamed.

"Here is some information that was never put out to the public," L explained, setting a paper and three smaller papers in front of me. "Please do tell me your thoughts on them. This is the order in which the twelve FBI agents died, and the order they received the file. Then, there are these letters that some Kira victims wrote on the walls before they died."

I blinked. I knew the information just as well as Light did, so I'd be in as dangerous territory as well. I needed to be careful. I remembered how Light had deduced how to react to the messages, but I couldn't for the life of me remember too much on how to react to the other one. I hesitantly picked the paper up, examining it. _I remember that I'm not supposed to know about the file, _I noted, examining the page. "Um, Hideki, what was in the file? I don't think I can figure much out without knowing what the file was…."

"Ah, sorry," he said, somehow managing to look sheepish without changing his expression. "The file contained the agent's names and faces, and then they all died after receiving the file."

"Oh, alright then. So it really is name and face…." I tried to remember what it was I was supposed to figure out, but it's hard when you already know the answer. Work backwards, and separate what you know and what you _should _know. But then, it was easier to work backwards to figure out _why _you would know something rather than figuring it all out without any information to start with. "Well," I spared a glance at the messages, "were the victims being manipulated by Kira when they wrote those messages?" I asked. "If so, Kira has more power than I thought…."

"Yes, that's assumed."

"Well then… Kira probably used that file to kill off the agents. Kira was probably either manipulating one of these agents, or was in touch with one of them. And if one of these agents were being influenced… he or she would probably be the one to call someone else to get the files…. And Kira would have to know that agent's name and face already. So one of these agents had to have given his or her name to Kira beforehand…."

L nodded. "And what do you think of the messages?"

I set the paper down and examined the messages. _Phew. I'm not sure if I even did that right. For all I know, I just made myself a Kira suspect. …Whoa, I never looked at that possibility. What if L thinks _I'm _Kira? Well, at least I know what to do with these…._ I looked at both the front and the back of the cards, and rearranged them a few times before speaking again. "Okay, so there's a hidden message in this. That's easy. The thing is, it makes most sense you arrange it to say, 'L, do you know gods of death love apples?' But, according to the labels on the back of the pictures, it says, 'L, do you know love apples? Gods of death.' That sounds a bit weird…. But maybe this isn't the full sentence. Maybe you're withholding information, or Kira's going to kill another criminal to finish his message."

L nodded. "Yes, there is a fourth photo," he said, slipping out said photo. I knew it was fake, but I sure as hell couldn't tell him that. If I did, he'd know I know more than I let on.

"Sweet!" I cried in delight. "I actually got that right! I feel so smart!" _Not really._

"I have a question, now, Natsumi," said L.

"Yes, Hideki?" I asked, bringing my cup of coffee up to my lips, but immediately putting it down again. I didn't really like coffee. Maybe if I added sugar it would taste better, who knew? Take a hint from L, the one who has a sweet tooth bypassing even Sam and Sierra's. Combined.

"If Natsumi were L," he asked, "how would you try to find if a suspect was Kira?"

"Well," I replied after a moment of thought, "I'd do exactly what you're doing right now."

"And what's that?"

"You're trying to trick me into telling information only Kira would know."

"That… is correct." He reached forward to take back the papers. "Only one other person was able to come up with that answer so quickly. Actually, only one other person came up with that answer, the best answer, in particular. None of the investigators could come up with it. Your skills… are definitely amazing. Certainly suitable to join the investigation."

"Oh boy!" I grinned. _Too bad I'm taking the information from the manga. I kinda wonder whether I'd actually be cut out for this. _"I'm looking forward to it!"

"I'm glad. I assume you go to school, so—"

"No. I don't," I interrupted. Where could we possibly go?

"Alright. You can go to the police headquarters tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. Someone from the investigation team will meet you there and escort you to the current Kira investigation headquarters."

"Er, where is the police headquarters?"

"Ah," he said, then pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. He wrote down where the police station was. "Here."

"Oh thanks…. But, can I ask for one thing?"

"What's that?"

"I would like to be able to go home every night. My three friends – I consider them my sisters – are all younger than me, and them all alone can't care for themselves. They rely on me for things like food, since we're low on money and can't really afford to pay for room service…. Would that be alright?"

"That would be fine. It's very reasonable, and everyone is permitted to leave each night. I'm assuming, then, that you don't have parents to care for you? Or rather, they're out often, or ill?"

"Nope. No parents, unfortunately."

"Well, I'm sorry about that."

"That's just fine," I smiled. "Speaking of which, was there anything else you needed to tell me? Because…."

"No," he said, sliding to the edge of the booth and getting up in his slouching, tired-looking way. "That is all. Thank you for having this conversation."

I got up. "My pleasure," I grinned, and held out my hand. "See you tomorrow, Hideki."

He took my hand awkwardly, and shook it. "Oh, one more thing, Natsumi."

"Yes?"

He stared at me with those big, bulging eyes of his. "I'm L," he said.

I blinked twice. "Awesome sauce," I said softly, then we began walking towards the doors. "Well then, Hideki/L, I have all the more respect for you now, if that's true. I guess I'll be getting credibility of that tomorrow, then!"

"Yes. I guess so. Goodbye, Natsumi."

"Bye!" And then, we walked our separate ways.

I went at a leisurely pace back to my hotel, feeling so light and happy and excited. When I reached the room my friends and I were staying at, I immediately went for the manga to see if I'd done the analysis correctly, despite Anna's yelp of greeting.

"What happened?" squeaked Sierra.

"I'm in the investigation!" I cried happily, then burst into laughter. I'd probably be very laugh-y for the rest of the day. Laugh-y and happy and even slightly hyper.

"Woot!" Sierra cried.

Anna laughed happily with me.

"Oh my Jeevas of Mac 'n Cheese World!" Sam squealed.

I looked up the part in the manga I needed to, a smile still lingering on my lips. "Huh. I gave him even more information than was necessary. Oh well, I still think I did alright."

"Good enough to _get into the investigation!_" Sam grinned. "I can't believe you're in!"

"Me neither!" Sierra squeaked.

"I can," Anna stated.

"Well, now all I have to do is fit you in somehow, and follow through with my plan," I said, and sighed contentedly as I lay on the bed, stretching.

"What, exactly, _is _your plan?" Sam asked.

"It's a surpri—"

"No," Sam interrupted. "I can't stand being left out of your big ideas anymore. You know how annoying it is to always be left in the dark until the last moment?"

"Er…." I looked up, thinking. "Yeah, I guess it would be kinda annoying. I just like seeing your reaction, though, and—"

"But we could help!" Sierra cut in.

"We _need _to know what you're planning," Sam agreed. "If not, lives could be at stake."

"C'mon, tell us," Sierra coaxed.

"Please?" Anna added. "I wanna know, too."

I pursed my lips, staring at the ceiling. They had a point with the whole 'lives could be at stake' thing. "Alright," I said hesitantly, sitting up. "Well, my plan is simple, really. There comes a point in time when Light loses his memories, right?" There were a few nods. "Well, my plan is to stop him from ever getting his memories back."

"How will you do that?" asked Sierra.

"His memories return if he touches the Death Note," I explained. "So, if he never touches the notebook, he never gets his memories. In the manga, he gets his memories back when the task force captures Higuchi – that new Kira that kills while Light and Misa have their memories gone. Because I'm now on the investigation team, I'll be there when they capture Higuchi, and I can stop Light from ever touching the notebook. Does that make sense?"

"I think it's awesome," Anna said matter-of-factly.

"I think it's okay," Sierra agreed.

"But there are a few flaws," Sam muttered. "What if he touches it before you can get to it? How about this: what if the plan doesn't work? That'd be bad! And, if that plan fails, then there's next to no time to come up with something else to save L!"

"Does anyone have any better solutions?" I asked. No one responded. "Exactly. Sayuri, just trust me on this. Just follow this one plan, and it saves everyone. It saves L, Mello, Matt, Takada—"

"I hate Takada," Sam frowned.

I frowned, and continued, "—Rem, Watari, Sayu, Misa—"

"Misa dies?" Sierra asked.

"She committed suicide after Light died," I explained. "…and Light," I finished my list. "So, we save all those people if this works."

"And if it doesn't?" Sam prodded.

"It will. I promise. I won't _let _it not work. It _has _to work. This plan failing is not an option. So, guys, trust me. I'll save L, and everyone else."

"Except for all those criminals," Sierra pointed out.

"…Except for all those criminals," I conceded.

* * *

**L... being L... I hope you readers had a nice weekend, anyway. Have a wonderful rest of the day!**

_**Fun Fact**_**: I don't know what it was that inspired me to put these fun facts here. It was only on a whim.**

**I _do _love reviews~ Review? I give you L's cake!**


	5. Chapter 5

**As I am a nice person and like replying to everyone, I shall reply to the anonymous reviewers here. :3**

_**paige g**_**: **Yes! I made you laugh! I'm so accomplished in life.

_**nyan**** cat**_**:** Ah, Tony... Thank you for noticing him. Who he is is better explained later on; don't worry.

**Yeah, little things will be hinted at that can't be understood until later. Like, Anna and Sierra, or Michiyo and Yui, _are _sisters, but they have different last names. They have the same father, but different mothers; so technically they're half-sisters. So... yeah.**

**Happy Wednesday!**

* * *

Six more days – more than a week in this world had passed already, wow – passed. The morning after I'd made it into the investigation, I'd gone to the police station and waited. Aizawa had come to escort me to headquarters. The people in the hotel room that was now headquarters – L, Matsuda, Ukita, and Aizawa – confirmed L was L and caught me up on what they'd figured out so far, including the fact that Light was the only suspect at the moment. They'd told me their fake names, and I'd smiled and asked what my new name was. L replied with a simple, "Natsumi Matsuo." If this were a real anime, I probably would have sweatdropped, but maybe he had reason behind it. Who knew? I was even given one of those emergency belts with the button used for if anything happened. But anyway, now, two days later and later in the day, Misa finally came into play.

Everyone was voicing their opinions on Naomi Misora when Watari came in and told L that something big was happening on Sakura TV. I vaguely wondered if my group was watching it back at the hotel, but then mused on the mere fact that this was a scene I actually knew. It would seem surreal to watch it play out, and even odder to be able to actually _interact_ with the scene. So, when Watari walked in and called us to attention by saying _Ryuuzaki _– which was the name we were to call L – and picked up the remote, I had a strong sense of déjà vu. Yet, something seemed off about it. Something was different about the image.

I gazed, bemused, at Watari for a bit, wondering what was so unusual. I looked around, trying to see if anything else seemed off. I soon found that there was something different about L too. And Matsuda. But… I just couldn't put my finger on _what _had changed. I was snapped from my thoughts, though, when a familiar, modified-to-be-low voice played from the television's speakers.

"_I am Kira,_" the voice said.

_Oh boy, _I thought, _it looks like Misa's now a factor. It's gonna be a lot harder to hide our names now…. Although, even if she sees my name, that would be alright because Light can't kill any of us unless he kills all of us at the same time. Otherwise, _he'll _be dead. So, he needs all the names before he makes a move. As long as Misa doesn't see Anna, Sierra, or Sam's names, we're safe._

I looked over to see a news person dead on the television screen. My reaction was delayed, but no one noticed because they were all too busy reacting in their own ways. The television was switched back to Sakura TV on L's orders, and as Misa's speech went on, the more tense everyone became. I was the only one not speaking at all. What could I say? It was all happening too quickly, and there wasn't anything specific in this scene that I wanted to change. I felt like an actor in a play, already knowing the next scene and being able to anticipate it, thus having to merely act surprised with everyone else. There was one difference, though: this was real, and everyone around me had no clue what was to happen next. Ah, and I had no lines. I didn't belong in this play at all.

"Damn it!" yelled Ukita, charging towards the door. "I'll go stop them myself!"

My mouth opened to protest, but the words died in my throat. _Ukita'll die if he goes, _I knew. _But if he doesn't die, they won't know this Second Kira can kill just by seeing him. But then, Light's dad may very well use the car to crash in anyway. But when he comes out, there wouldn't be police protecting him from Misa's Shinigami eyes. So… Ukita has to die. Oh, sorry Ukita…._ All of this went through my head relatively quickly, but by the time I'd decided this, Ukita was long gone anyway.

"As long as no one tries to oppose me, no one else will die," the distorted voice of Misa continued.

_Well, besides the criminals, _I thought as I looked around wildly. What was I supposed to do? I needed to prove useful in situations like these. Otherwise, L may like me just as much as he likes Matsuda. And L thinks Matsuda is a reckless, dimwitted idiot. _I guess this means I need to be more prepared next time. Maybe I should plan ahead. Plan how to react to each situation. Yeah, I'll do that when I get home. …Huh, I'm already calling that hotel room home. How sad…. Whatever happened to my house?_

"Damn you, Kira!" Aizawa yelled quite angrily at the television screen showing a dead Ukita, snapping me back to reality.

_I have _got _to stop zoning out, _I noted. _It's not exactly good to do in situations like this..._

"Aizawa, stop," said L, turning his head to look at Aizawa, who was now running for the door. "Where are you going?"

"To where Ukita is!" snapped Aizawa. "I'll retrieve those tapes myself!"

"If you go now," L reasoned, "you'll die, too."

Aizawa turned to glare at him. The intensity of his stare… it almost brought me to believe this was real. _But it is, isn't it? _I thought. _It's… all real, isn't it?_

"I, too, want to stop the broadcast right now. We may get crucial clues if we can get our hands on the original video cassettes that Kira mailed in. However, if Ukita was killed by Kira, then anyone else who goes there now will suffer the same fate."

"What can I…?" I began softly, without any form of confidence. I needed to get back into this. I wanted to be involved, so I had to get involved. Sure, I was in the case, but I needed to _interact _with this sort of stuff. As long as I didn't stop anything important from happening, as long as I only made little, insignificant changes, I'd be fine. "What can I do to help? Anything?" I asked, with a little more energy, more confidence.

"Nothing for now, Natsumi," replied L. "I said that 'Kira needs both the name and face to kill,' but after seeing this… I have to say there is now the possibility of Kira being able to kill using someone's face alone. I can't say for sure right now, but…." L continued on with his explanation. An explanation I'd heard and read him say plenty of times, albeit the fact it was said in Japanese. And, despite the fact he was speaking at length, everything went by so quickly. Well, except for one moment, when there was a long pause. Aizawa had protested, and L had responded that "It is too late for Ukita, but if Aizawa dies as well…."

This long silence in which no one was quite sure how to react was caused by the inflection in L's voice, and the simple fact that L was trembling. Right then, his childishness seemed more pronounced. It wasn't completely clear whether he was holding back anger, trembling out of fear, or something else entirely, but not even those who belonged in this scene – meaning everyone but me – knew how to react.

And how, exactly, am I supposed to react to something in which even those who are a part of this play are lost for words?

* * *

"Aunt Natalie, you need to wake up now," said Anna softly, prodding my shoulder with a finger.

I opened my eyes blearily, and stretched. "What time is it?" I yawned. As my eyes adjusted, I found Anna to be already dressed and ready for the day.

"It's 8:30."

I sat up, groaning. "Why didn't you get me up at eight?"

"You wouldn't wake up. You got home so late last night…."

I blinked, slowly getting to my feet.

"By the way, why _were _you home so late?"

"Oh," I replied, stretching again, "I stayed late 'cause of the whole Kira thing on TV." I hadn't had time yesterday to plan out more reactions, either, so I'd just have to wing it until I had the energy to do that….

"Oh, alright. Can I wake up Sam and Sier-?" Anna cut herself off, letting out a startled "Oh!" before covering her mouth. "I meant Sayuri and Yui!" she said hastily.

I patted her head. "Nah, it's alright Ah—Michiyo. I mess it up all the time. As long as we don't mess it up in front of Light, we're good."

"What about Misa?"

"Well," I replied, taking a shirt from a hanger, "let's just hope we don't meet her very often."

"Why not?"

"She can see our names, remember?"

"Oh, yeah…."

"I'll be right back," I said, before entering the bathroom with my clothes. Brush my teeth, get dressed, brush my hair, and come right back out again. "Hi again."

"Hi!" Anna greeted with a grin. She was now sitting cross-legged beside a frowning Sierra.

"Well, bye guys! Ha, hi-bye!"

"Bye!" replied Anna.

"Bye," mumbled Sierra.

And Sam was still asleep.

And so, I went for the police station. Mogi and Aizawa were waiting for me today. I was slightly disappointed that it was Matsuda's turn to stay at the police station – he was so fun to be around – but who was I to complain? "Am I late?" I asked. "Sorry if I am. Am I?"

"No, you're right on time," said Mogi. "I guess we're all just a little anxious since last night."

"Yeah, I guess so…."

There the conversation dropped, and we just headed to where L was in silence. See, that's another thing I liked about Matsuda. He would just keep talking anyway. He made serious things like this more enjoyable. But then, I could be pretty serious and quiet myself. When we got there, it was decided that the fourth tape be allowed to be broadcast on Sakura TV. Four days later, it _was _broadcast. And the day it was broadcast, who did I find waiting for me back in my group's hotel room? None other than Light, of course. Oh, and Ryuk. If he counts.

"Make him leave," frowned Sam, pointing at Light indignantly. She reminded me of an annoyed child in that instance.

"All I want is some information that I know you have," replied Light, arms crossed.

"Why didn't you just tell _us_ what you need to know?" asked Sierra.

"Yeah," Anna agreed.

"Because," Light smiled, "you don't know as much as Natsumi. I am well aware of that, you know."

"Meh," replied Sierra.

"I know the gist of the rest of your lifespan!" Sam snapped. "Whatever, I'm not giving you any information now anyway, even if you _did _ask."

"I don't need your information anyway," Light answered smoothly. "Natsumi has more extensive knowledge anyway."

"Okay then," I commented. "So what do you wanna know?"

"Who is this fake Kira that was on television?"

"Oh my L!" Sam exclaimed in annoyance, earning a momentary odd look from Light. "All four of us know that; it's common knowledge!"

"Wait, don't tell him a thing," I said. "Why do you want to know this?"

"You say you know so much; you should know why," he responded.

"What if I don't?"

"Make a guess. I'll tell you if you're right or wrong."

I thought a moment. "You don't want this new Kira to be caught by L, so you want to want to use this second person to your advantage without giving your name and face. If you know who the Second Kira is, then you can kill him or her and take the Death Note before L catches this Kira. Therefore, your secret identity is safe."

"Correct."

"Then I'm not telling you who he or she is."

He frowned. "And why not?"

"Because everything is already going to work out. The Second Kira will make contact with you without incident, and you can decide what best to do from there."

He put his hand to his chin, contemplating this information. "Alright," he said eventually. "That makes sense."

"Why is Ryuk so quiet?" asked Anna curiously.

"Huh?" replied Ryuk.

"Well," I said, "Ryuk likes to observe things. In fact, what's going on around him is almost like a TV show to him. It's not like he's affected much by what happens anyway, so actually that's a pretty accurate analogy."

"I guess so," commented Ryuk.

"Yes, well, I see no reason to linger any longer," said Light. "Goodbye, then."

"Oh, bye," I said, stepping aside so he could go through the door. "And by the way," I called down the hall after him, "expect to see me soon!" I got no response. "Well," I commented, closing the door, "that was an abrupt goodbye."

"He probably doesn't feel the need to use his '_manly charm_' on us," Sam scoffed.

I raised an eyebrow. "His _charisma, _you mean?"

"Whatever. Haven't you noticed that the only ones caught by his '_charisma_' are _girls_?"

"What about Mikami?"

"Ah, well, Light's gay, so who knows what happened there."

"…Right…."

"I'm hungry," Anna grumbled. "Can we have ramen now?"

The next day, I found myself yet again with the rest of the Kira investigation team. Obviously. This time it was Mogi who was back at the police station, so that meant I was with L, Matsuda, Soichiro, and Aizawa. We were having a nice conversation on the whole 'L-needs-to-go-on-TV-because-of-Kira' issue. …During which L was eating cake.

"Oh well," L said as he put his fork through a piece of cake, "we still have two days, so we have plenty of time to come up with a counter measure. Don't get me wrong. I don't have a death wish. Besides…" – he stuck the piece of cake in his mouth – "…if I have to die, I would rather die by Kira's hand instead of the hand of someone used by Kira."

There was a chorus of _huh_s from everyone but L and I. _I was supposed to react to that! _I scolded myself. _I really do have to pay more attention…._

"What… do you mean by that, Ryuuzaki?" asked Soichiro in disbelief.

"Natsumi seems to have gotten it. What do you think, Natsumi?" asked L with a fork in his mouth.

_See, Natalie? _I snapped at myself. _Reactions are important! _"Well…," I said slowly, "…I think that this isn't Kira. It's really a Second Kira, not the original."

"A Second Kira?" the three of them cried.

"Is that true, Ryuuzaki?" asked Matsuda.

"Yes," L responded. "Or rather, it is a high possibility of that being true. I considered the possibility of two people working together, but I think that's unlikely, especially after I watched this tape." He indicated the first tape. "This tape was not shown on TV, the Second Kira made it to prove his identity to the employees of Sakura TV." He put more cake in his mouth. "The postage stamp shows that the tape was mailed on April thirteenth. It reached the TV station on the second day, then three days later, the first predicted murder took place."

"Predicting murder three days prior to the event sounds like Kira's doing to me…," Matsuda said, looking confused. Poor guy. He'd be confused a lot as long as this investigation was going on.

"Still, I don't think that he is the real Kira."

"Why do you think that?" asked Aizawa. "Care to explain? I saw that tape, too, and I don't see your logic…."

"What is Natsumi's opinion?" L responded.

_And now I'm more at risk to mess everything up, _I thought, fighting the urge to sigh. _All because of one missed reaction. _"This Kira didn't really kill the usual criminals. He… he killed only people who committed minor crimes. Almost as though this Kira were trying to make sure the real Kira didn't kill them first."

"Exactly. Also, the person charged with possession of drugs was only reported in a woman's magazine. And the only time this criminal was shown on TV was in a talk show on the noon of April thirteenth. Don't you think that's weird? Also, the two employees of Taiyou TV did nothing more than publicly criticize Kira. Kira has never killed people like that before. The real Kira would not kill critics. He could care less about them. Leaving some of the major criminals alive and killing smaller public figures is definitely not Kira's idea of justice.

"As Natsumi pointed out, it is likely that in his attempt to prove his identity, the second Kira avoided criminals that the original Kira might have killed before the tapes that were sent could be viewed. So, if he chose major criminals, there was a high chance that the real Kira would've killed them already. If anything went wrong and the prediction failed, no one would believe that he is Kira."

"Okay," I remarked, "you say so little in a normal conversation, but your explanations are so… _long _in comparison!"

"I told you; I only say what is necessary, and I wouldn't leave anything out when explaining something important."

"…And that's why he chose innocent people on TV?" asked Matsuda. "That may be stretching it a little…."

"Well, it's proof enough for me," I said.

"You're fifteen!" interjected Aizawa.

"Maybe, but it's sufficient for L, as well," I pointed out.

"Either way, we can't conclude that the tapes are from a second Kira just because of that, right?" Aizawa asked, looking to L for confirmation.

"Ryuuzaki…," said Soichiro. "What do you think is the probability that there is another Kira?"

_I know this one! _I thought delightedly.

"At least seventy percent," L and I said together. I tried to sound as official and serious as possible.

I innerly glowed with happiness at being able to remember a number. I'm bad with remembering numbers.

Everyone reacted in surprise. It looked exaggerated to me, but maybe that was because it didn't seem as outlandish in my mind because I already knew for a fact that there was a second Kira.

L seemed to think so too. Or, at least, he was getting annoyed with their mistrust at his deduction. You could tell by his expression, and the way he said his next words. "Everything he has done is very unlike the first Kira…."

"How so?" asked Aizawa.

_Ooh, _I thought without enthusiasm, _more explaining for things I already understand. Oh well, at least I'm okay with patience. Unless I have excess energy; then I can't sit still. I could always daydream while he explains things, but then I won't know when to stop and return to reality…. And therefore I might miss something important. Imagine if I zoned out while I was supposed to be keeping the notebook away from Light! That'd be horrible! No…. I won't let that happen. I will _not _let that plan fail. It'll work. It has to work…._

"The real Kira was taking it slow and cautiously introducing his ideals to the public," L continued.

_I just missed most of his speech, didn't I?_

"Kira would never use scare tactics that look more like terrorism."

"So…" said Aizawa, holding up a little plastic packet, "…this fingerprint…."

"Fingerprint?" asked Soichiro.

"We found a set of fingerprints on both the envelope and video tape that do not belong to anyone in the TV station."

"Well, it isn't the real Kira's fingerprints," I said.

"Yeah," agreed Matsuda, "I think the real Kira would never leave behind fingerprints, and definitely not twice."

"Maybe he is trying to frame someone with fingerprints?" Aizawa suggested.

"More likely it's the second Kira," I replied.

"Yes," said L. "The real Kira has no reason to frame someone right now, nor would he want to. So, if another Kira does exist, his intellectual level is certainly worse than the real Kira's. He might not have considered the possibility of the tapes being confiscated by the police. In any case," – L picked up the packet containing the fingerprint with his thumb and forefinger – "it's not possible to start a world-wide fingerprint collection if only the Japanese officials will back us. We can only use this as proof to catch suspects. By the way… this fingerprint is rather small…."

"Small?" asked Aizawa.

I leaned over to look at it. "Yeah. Small. Like a kid or a woman."

"Precisely."

"Back in the hospital, my son said that Kira is likely a kid from a rich family," Soichiro pointed out.

"Whether it be the first Kira or the second Kira, your son may be correct," L replied, and set down the little plastic baggie with the fingerprint. "In that case, if we consider that this is from the second Kira… there is a possibility that he can kill under a different criteria. If we catch one of them, we can certainly find clues about the other. I think the first Kira is smarter than the second. If I were the first Kira… I would definitely want to find out who the imposter is before the police do, then analyze how useful he is, and finally eliminate the imitator before the police find him. This is a battle between the real Kira and us to find the false Kira, and there is a chance that we will capture the real one in the process."

There was a pause.

"Chief Yagami," said L. "Is it possible to ask your son to help us whenever he can?"

Aizawa and Matsuda glanced at one another.

I smiled. Finally, the ball was starting to roll, faster and faster. Soon this world's problems would be solved. Well, most of them, anyway.

* * *

**And... there we are. Hope you enjoyed it~**

_**Fun**** fact****: **_**In actuality, this story has been nameless for the longest time. I only figured out a title a week or so before putting this story up. Before that, I just called it '_Unnamed_.' Creative, huh?**

**Review?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Happy Friday, everyone! Anonymous reviewer time~**

_**paige g**_**:** No, I'm pretty sure Tony's not an alien... In fact, I don't know what you're talking about. :D To put things simply, Tony is a guy from Sierra's past; one of the many factors that made her childhood much less enjoyable. But the story will get to that later. Also... you say if I get a different summary, more readers could be drawn. I agree. But... what should I put in my summary?

**Anyone? Anyone know what to put in my summary that will draw in random people just browsing? It'd be a help! I'm bad at summaries... I tend to make them either too blunt or too dramatic. *sigh* Oh well. Enjoy your read, dear readers! The chapter today be a bit long!**

* * *

The rest of that day included Light joining the investigation, making the response video, and going home. We had worked out how the going home thing would work, too: since Light had school and I'd asked to be able to go home at night, both of us would ride home in a taxi, and go our separate ways upon leaving the cab. Simple as that. Our video in response to Misa was put on television the same day and, two days later, Mogi discovered Misa's response in Sakura TV's mail. Upon watching this reply, I had the joy of watching L freak out and fall over. I know it shouldn't have been funny, and I didn't laugh, but I was always amused at that part when L hears the whole "God of Death" bit. Another few days of waiting (a few days being over two weeks – seventeen days), and Misa sent in the journal entry. It was soon decided that Light and Matsuda go to Aoyama. A few days after _that _(this time '_a few_' translates as '_eleven_'), there was another video sent that said she had found Kira. It was this night that I didn't go directly home.

"Is there any specific reason you're following me home?" Light asked in a vaguely annoyed tone after the taxi left and there were a few seconds of me walking with him, instead of going in the opposite direction. He obviously had had a bad day, considering he wasn't in a very good situation at the moment, what with L planning to bait the second Kira into telling who the real Kira was.

"'Cause I wanna talk to you," I replied.

"Can't you speak now?"

"Oh, I would, but alas, there are _people _on this sidewalk!" I cried dramatically. "I wouldn't, no, _couldn't _speak of such private matters in public! It concerns my dear friend Michiyo, you understand."

"…I see."

"Exactly my point, my friend." I was soon back in that oh-so-clean room of his. "How do you keep this clean? It is a wonder of the world that has escaped my understanding!"

"Just get on with it," he replied, closing the door and locking it.

"Okay," I said, holding up my index finger. "First, I'd like to- …Are those chips?"

Light looked at the garbage can I was staring at. "Yes."

"Ooh, I have a question! Have you always been so dramatic?"

"…What?"

"Oh, never mind. What flavor are they?"

"I thought you'd mentioned knowing everything about me," he replied, eyebrows raised. "Or, at least, somewhere along those lines."

"There is a difference between knowing and remembering, you see. I know what it is, but I don't _remember _it. I remember that you are the only one in the family to eat this flavor. I remember that one flavor of chips in the house contained the word seaweed, but I don't remember what flavor yours is. And I can't read Japanese."

Light blinked. "You can't read?"

"No, I can't read _Japanese_. It's not my language. I can't speak Japanese, either."

"…You _are _speaking Japanese."

There was a long pause.

"Oh, well, now I'm confused," I shrugged. "Let's skip over that little detail. Anyway, what I'd like to explain is the way my knowledge works. I don't know every little detail of every event that goes on. For example, I don't know what happened throughout all of your surveillance time. There are… skips in my knowledge, areas of unknown events. There is a point in time where I have only vague pieces of information spanning a length of five years. Then my information continues again.

"You see, my knowledge comes from an actual source. I do not use psychic powers to understand what will happen next. Sure, if you thought this, I may have been able to use that to my advantage, but we made a deal, and I'm trying to keep my side of the deal without changing anything too drastically."

"Huh," commented Ryuk.

"And now for my big dramatic speech in which I explain my views on all of this," I sighed. What I was about to explain was actually a touchy subject for me, and I normally got upset when one didn't agree. "Okay…. So…. Let's hope you understand what I'm trying to say, here…." I had to say this now, and not later. Later, he'd be too corrupted to comprehend it. Might as well try now while it still might work. After all, there was still a slight chance that my plan wouldn't work, and Light would get his memories back.

"Please continue."

I took a deep breath. How to begin? "You… are planning to create a new world. A world without crime or war. And you want to be the god of this new world."

His eyes narrowed. _Where is she going with this?_

I blinked in surprise when his mouth didn't move. _Oh, right. I forgot I can hear his thoughts. Sweet._ "I… understand, now, after learning of this, uh, world, that whenever…. Hmm…. How should I put this? You… are very confident in the belief that your plan will work."

"That, Natsumi, is because it _will_. L is a challenge, sure, but I'll get him eventually."

_Yes, you will, _I innerly agreed. _But then that action'll come right back around, and L's successors will beat you. Barely, but they will. _"Ah, but Light, despite your god complex— hm, no, I probably shouldn't call it that right in front of you." He cocked an eyebrow. "Your belief in being above all, that you are a god, isn't technically true. You are still mortal, Light, and you will one day die. From what I know you will die a—Huh. Wait. You will either die a painful, humiliating death, or a peaceful death. Those are literally two outcomes I foresaw." _Both are at the same time, though. Just one's in a stairwell and the other's in a warehouse. _"Now, Light, if you die, who will be there to carry out your dream of creating a new world?"

"I'm planning on ruling for a long period of time," Light said. Ooh, his voice was getting cold. I was probably about to get on his bad side. Nice, Natalie.

"Yes, Light, and I'm sure you will," – _Not really, _I thought – "but – come now, you're a smart boy – you need to be prepared for all outcomes."

"There _is _only one outcome."

"No, there isn't. It's logic, see. In general terms, either you win and rule the world as a god, or L will ultimately defeat you and you will be put to death." I paused. "…Or, I guess, you die and someone else carries out your will and he rules the world," I shrugged.

"What is your point?" asked Light. "Are you suggesting I share the power with _you_? This request sounds a bit selfish."

I was very surprised at this deduction. "Whoa, what? I didn't mean that at all! I'm not suggesting you should share the power with anyone! I'm just saying that there's a problem here. You don't have any real friends. …No offense," I added. "It's just that now you more… _use_ your so-called friends to your advantage. I'm not saying I'm against this" – _even though I am_ – "but this means that all you will have is this one goal. Light, you predicted yourself that you would sacrifice your mind and soul for the sake of this goal, and you're right. You will see nothing but the power – not the benefit of the world – and you will, yourself, be more of a criminal." He seemed quite angry at this statement, and I immediately backpedaled. "But that's alright," I hastily added, "because you still help the world. You still only kill criminals and those against you, it's just you do it more for yourself than for the good of the world. …Criminal is the wrong word. Sorry."

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Anyway, with the way I see it, you will stop caring about even your family, and you will have nothing but that one ambition. And, that way, you are all alone. If that one ambition is taken away, what's left? Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"And what is it you're suggesting I do? Get friends? Are you a fool? I cannot attach myself emotionally to anyone. It would drag me down, and placing trust in anyone other than myself could be fatal."

"Jeez, Light, you really do need friends. Friends make the world a little less… rotten." I smiled to myself, feeling clever at this small epiphany.

"Oh?" commented Ryuk in slight surprise. He was probably very amused by this show in front of him, huh?

"Sure, I could go on a rant right here and now about how there are so many good souls still in the world. That the world isn't completely rotten, and there is still hope, even without Kira. But it's not my place to do that. This is all you. Your choices." I chuckled. "I guess the ironic part about that statement is the fact I learned that from you." I paused, then coughed. "Anyway, all I'm saying is that you should have something other than that goal to hold onto, okay? You don't have to do this, it's just that…" Images of Light, desperately calling for people who weren't there came to mind. I just hated that scene greatly. It made me feel bad for him. "…I can't stand to think of…" Okay, now he was begging. Pitiful. In a sad way. Some people thought it was funny (like Sam) but in my opinion it was just so sad. "…any human without any hope or anything to believe in…." Light died a corrupted man. That had always bothered me. L's death didn't bother me as much because he died doing what he believed in. He died doing what was right. For justice; and with a perfectly sane mind and an uncorrupted soul. With Light, the moment he died, there was no more chance for him to be saved from himself….

Oh, shoot. I was getting worked up about it. (Yes, I get worked up over _TV shows. _Sad, really. Maybe I needed a life….) At least it was all real now, so it was normal. Right? _He died corrupted and I can't do anything about it because none of it is actually real. I can't simply save his soul. He died corrupted, and there's nothing I can do. L is dead. An unfair death. Mello is dead. Also unfair. Light is dead, here and now, and he died corrupted. All because of that stupid goddamned Death Note! But what can I do? Nothing! Nothing at all! I—_

And then I got a nice hug from the killer I wanted to save, and Ryuk began to chuckle. Sure, Light was faking it, but suddenly everything came into focus. The shadows were creeping again, but I now knew what they were doing as I watched the folds in Light's shirt grow more detailed. More… _real_. I could even make out the individual strands of fabric now. _It's real_, I realized as I hugged him back. Hey, I'm a hugger, don't blame me. "I appreciate the gesture, Light, but it really is too bad you're faking it. I mean, you are a good actor and all, but maybe one day you should learn to be sincere." Ryuk started laughing a little harder, then began quieting down again. This was nothing but a show to him.

"How do you know your little speech didn't sway me?"

I laughed. "Because you're you!"

And then the hug was over. "I suspected as much, but it was worth a try."

"Ah," I sighed, actually having had a small bit of hope, "you see? You were trying to take advantage of my emotions just then. Trying to use me so I was more obedient, or something like that."

"You're right, of course."

"It'll work on the second Kira, though, so you know," I commented. "She'll fall for you without a doubt."

"The second Kira is a—?"

"_Big Brother_," Sayu called in a sing-song voice from downstairs, "your friend came to bring the note you left at the university!"

"And that would be the second Kira," I smiled. "I should probably get going, though. Have a nice time with Misa!"

I walked down the stairs with Light to which we found Misa standing outside the door. "By Mrs. Yagami!" I called. "Bye Sayu! Good night!" Light and I walked out the door, Light closing the door behind us. "Hello, Misa," I greeted. "Hello, Rem," I added, looking a little bit above her. "And goodbye! Have a nice time together!" And thus, I left them behind, them being quite confused. The first thing I said to my friends when I reached the hotel room would be, "I just got a hug from Kira!" Just imagine, dear reader, all of their reactions.

It's amusing, isn't it?

Two days later, Misa's final video made it in. "One more day…," I said softly as I gazed at my manga that night.

"One more day what?" asked Sam.

"Tomorrow," I said with a smile, "Misa will be caught." I fell back onto the bed with a sigh. "And then Light will be locked in a cell. And he'll lose his memories."

"Cool!" exclaimed Sierra.

"Yep. Of course, it'll be a bit boring for that long time he's just sorta sitting in that cell, and the whole Yotsuba thing didn't really spark my interest, but once we catch Higuchi," – I looked at the others – "Light will be forever innocent."

Sam rolled her eyes.

"So you really think the plan's gonna work?" asked Anna.

"Of course it'll work," I answered, now gazing back up at the ceiling. "I know it will." And, disregarding my own advice, I looked at Anna and said, "There is no way that plan can fail."

* * *

When I got to the police station the next morning, I found a serious Matsuda waiting to escort me to headquarters. "Why so serious?" I asked casually as we walked.

"We—Oh, I probably can't tell you in public," he said. "You'll see, though, Natsumi."

I grinned. "I like surprises!" _I'm not going to have very many surprises while I'm in this world, though_. I absently gazed all around me. It was odd seeing things like this. It was almost like it was halfway between anime and reality. The shadows on moving people were more blended, for one. And then, you could actually see detail in things that normally wouldn't have the detail of unless it was an intentional close-up. I could now make out individual strands of hair if I looked closely, could actually see occasional bugs, could actually see everything in what was almost 3-D. …Almost. _Maybe I don't fully believe this is real yet, _I suggested to myself. _Maybe that's it. Maybe my mind hasn't grasped the reality of this place._

That's what it was that had triggered it, I'd decided. My mind's acceptance that this was, in fact, real. At first, before I even knew what the shadows were, I thought it was triggered by fear, but really the fear was just was made everything seem more real. That hug – albeit fake – made me able to realize I could interact and make a change. It would explain why Anna saw everything clearly from the start, too. She was younger, and could more readily believe she'd really gone to another world. Oh, how I sometimes wished I still had that ability. Time can be mean, but oh well.

Matsuda hastily opened the door to the hotel room, and stepped aside to let me in. "Matsuda, you're back," Soichiro greeted. "Hello, Natsumi."

Matsuda led me over to the table, where there were multiple pieces of evidence laid out.

"We've caught the second Kira," Matsuda informed me.

"Really?" I asked. "That's great! Why… why is everyone so serious, then?"

"It isn't over yet," Aizawa said. "We need to be sure we have the evidence, and there's still the first Kira to take care of."

"So… who's the second Kira?"

"Misa Amane," said Soichiro.

"Oh my gosh!" I cried. "I met her! …That one time… on a doorstep…. Wow." I shook my head. I was incorrect, though, at the length of time between Misa being detained and Light willingly being arrested. It was actually four days before Light came back in the picture.

So, I worked for three days, idly eating mostly sweets (which was fun, by the way) and waiting in vain for Misa to spill information. It was after three days when she finally asked for us to just kill her. She fainted soon after, but still. It meant things were happening now. After this happened, I felt so elated that time was progressing again.

This, however, was not the area of interesting action. The next day, my best friend and my two nieces were restlessly staying in the hotel room, all of them wondering how I was doing wherever I happened to be. "I'm bored," Sam muttered.

"Me too," Anna huffed.

"Do you, uh, wanna listen to music?" asked Sierra, holding my walkman out to Anna.

"No. That's _boring_."

"Maybe you can draw?"

"I don't feel like it," Anna replied.

"I'm not in the mood either…," Sam sighed.

"Well, uh…." Sierra was trying her best to come up with something to ease her friends' boredom, but it didn't seem to be working.

"Can I see the manga, Sierra?" asked Sam. "I wanna see what, exactly, is going on right about now."

"Oh, yeah, sure…." Sierra got the manga set off of the bedside table and handed it to Sam.

"Why can't _I _look at the manga?" asked Anna irritably.

"Because—" Sierra was cut off by a rattling of the doorknob, followed by a knock. "I got it," said Sierra, and walked to the door to unlock it, then open it. Light (and Ryuk and Rem) quickly walked (Ryuk and Rem floated) into the room without greeting. (Then again, they couldn't see Rem. They could just see Ryuk.)

"Is Natsumi already with L and the others?" he asked, scanning the room.

"Uh, yeah," replied Sierra.

"Where's a pad of paper?"

"Why?" asked Anna curiously.

"I need to leave her a note."

"Why not tell us so we can tell her?" said Sierra.

"You may leave something out, and something tells me you won't do what I tell you, but you will listen to Natsumi."

"There's a pad of paper on that desk over there," said Anna, pointing to the desk.

"Alright." He quickly scribbled something down.

"So, wait, what's so important that you're in such a hurry?" Anna asked.

He looked at her very seriously, and said simply, "I'm forfeiting ownership of the Death Note." And without any form of farewell, he left.

As the door closed behind him, Anna looked confusedly up at Sierra. "What's that mean?" she asked.

"It means Light's losing his memories," Sierra replied happily.

* * *

"Mr. Stalker!" cried Misa on the screen. "Kidnapping is a serious crime! Let me go! If you stop now, I won't tell anyone. I'll forgive you! Mr. Stalker!"

"Well there's a change, huh?" I commented. "Maybe she went insane without food or water, or maybe she's trying to change tactics or maybe… maybe she's innocent?"

"No. It has to be her," L disagreed.

"Okay, fine," said Misa. "How about at least removing my eye patch? I want to see Mr. Stalker…."

"Matsuda, call Mogi," said L, holding his hand out.

"Okay…," replied Matsuda.

L snatched the phone away from Matsuda once Mogi was on the line. "Did you tell Misa Amane that she is suspected of being the second Kira?" He listened to Mogi's response, then hung up.

"I'll give you my autograph!" Misa continued. "I'll shake your hand! Ah, I'll give you a kiss on the cheek! Okay? I won't run away, promise!"

L switched the microphone on. "Misa Amane."

"Mr. Stalker!" replied Misa hopefully. "What is it? Are you going to release me?"

"Before you fell asleep, you were screaming 'Kill me, kill me.' Why are you putting up such a worthless struggle now?"

"What are you talking about? You were the one that knocked me unconscious and brought me here! Wait…. Are you doing something like the 'complete examination of Misa Amane'?"

"Why are you tied here?"

"Huh? Why? Because I am your idol?"

"Somehow I doubt that coming from Ryuuzaki," I mumbled.

"But you're probably the first stalker to go this far!" Misa added.

"Amane!" Matsuda yelled into the microphone. "Stop joking around! This is serious!"

"Wha…?"

"Jeez, Matsuda," I sighed. "And I thought you were the nice one,_ without_ a temper."

"So… scary…," murmured Misa. "What do you want from me? I don't want this…. Release me! Release me now! Ah…. That's right…. I need to go to the restroom! The restroom!" she claimed, beginning to struggle against her restraints.

"You just went to the restroom four minutes ago," replied L. "Hold it in."

"He has a point," I shrugged.

"What?" cried Misa. "You want me to do it _here_? You want to see me pee? You're… a pervert!"

"…Nice, Ryuuzaki," I uttered.

"Amane," said L after a moment of being confused, "let's continue our talk from before you fell asleep. Do you know Light Yagami? Why are you with him? Don't tell me you don't know him."

"Eh?" answered Misa. "Why wouldn't I know my boyfriend? You sure did your homework, Mr. Stalker…. But Light is way better than you!"

And then L's cell phone rang. "It's Light," he said, holding it up.

I inwardly smiled.

"Turn off the video and the audio," L told Watari, and answered the phone. "…Yes. …Yes…. That's right…. Okay. …I understand. We're in K-2801."

_And soon, he'll lose his memories, _I thought excitedly. _And when that happens, that pretty much seals the plan. The problem is pretty much solved! Oh boy, this'll be fun!_

Soon, Matsuda went down to get him, and Light came up and did his little speech claiming that he must be Kira without knowing it because L thought so and L was the greatest detective in the world and he was the only suspect and all that. I had to admit he was pretty good at acting. Better than me, anyway. I'd probably burst into laughter at people's reactions, or at the simple idea that the people around me believed me. When Soichiro went to his son, grabbing his shoulder and speaking frantically, I had to put my hand to my mouth to stop from laughing. It all still seemed kind of fake to me, so it seemed even Soichiro was putting on an act in my eyes. Even though he wasn't. At all.

And so, Light was put in jail. And soon after _Light _went to jail, _Soichiro _went to jail, on his own request. Nice….

We ended up watching Light, Misa, and Soichiro on video for the next week. I got a little impatient, to be honest, but I still had daydreaming on my side. Plus, I was easily amused, so I could find interest in pretty much anything in the room. Besides, this place had a seemingly infinite amount of sweets to eat whenever I was hungry. I didn't _always _have sweets, of course – I'd get sick of them. And I didn't want to get sick of sweets anytime soon. Not when I was working with _L_, of all people.

And after this week had passed, I snapped to attention again only when Light started speaking about pride. And when he said _forfeit_, I bounded to the chair L sat on to stare at the screen closely. I wanted to see the difference in him now that I could see everything a little bit more realistically. It took a few seconds, but then his eyes widened. "Aw!" I cried aloud.

"What is it?' asked L, who, by the way, was probably wondering why I was partially leaning over his chair.

"See, for a second there, he looked all innocent. Like a little kid!" _He had Anna's eyes. Untainted. Untouched. Innocent. _"See, Sam?" I asked the ceiling above me, not even noticing I'd said Sam's actual name instead of her alias. "That's what I think of when I think of cute on a guy! An innocent look! Something like that!"

"Who are you talking to?" asked Matsuda.

"And you!" I cried. I was only vaguely aware that I was getting semi-hyper. "Matsuda, _you're _what I consider cute!"

"Uh… thanks?"

"And Momiji!" I cried happily, flinging my arms into the air. "Momiji is cute! And so is Selim! Selim Bradley is _cute_! …Although he's _supposed _to be considering he's only five or something like that…."

"Natsumi, what are you going on about?" asked Aizawa.

"I'm extremely _happy _right now!" I beamed.

"Did you have sugar or something?" asked Matsuda.

"Of course she's had sugar," replied Aizawa irritably. "She's _been _having sugar since she got here."

"But sugar doesn't affect me!" I proclaimed proudly, putting my hands on my hips.

"Ryuuzaki…," said the Light on the screen, causing our conversation to stop. "I know I was the one to suggest imprisonment and chose to be in this situation… but now I realize that there is no point to it! Because… I'm not Kira! Let me out of here!"

"And that, my friends, is a change of attitude," I said.

"Absolutely not," replied L. "You were even the one who requested that we not let you out of there until we determined whether you were Kira or not, regardless of whatever happened or what you said."

"That's true that I said that, but… there was something wrong with me at the time!"

"_No shiz_," I mumbled in an undertone. My hyper-ness was already wearing off. And I hadn't even gotten that hyper. Oh well.

"Do you really think it's possible for someone to do the kind of stuff the murderer Kira did without being aware of it? We can't estimate the amount of power Kira has, but Kira exists as a human being that is a mass murderer and killed people at his own will! The fact that I don't believe that I'm Kira means that I'm not him!"

_This is all rather interesting, _I thought absently, _but I feel more like daydreaming right now. Hmm… what to daydream about? _A whole bunch of hula-dancing characters popped up in my head. _Uh… no. Why does that _always _come up? Honestly…._

Over the next few weeks, I grew quite restless. The Kira killings eventually started up again, but it hardly excited me – it was still quite a while before we would start chasing Higuchi. Waiting for all this time made me more impatient than I normally was. The horrible feeling of boredom threatened to settle on my chest, rendering me always tired and lazy. So, I got up every once in a while just to be spazzy to keep that feeling away. Aizawa didn't really appreciate the spazzy-ness, though. Oh well.

I could go on and describe the days Misa, Light, and Soichiro were in jail, but I would bore you in doing so. And, honestly, the days blended together so that I lost track of time altogether. The only point to mark where I was was the occasional move to another hotel. The motions of going from my home hotel to my work one. Really, each day simply consisted of waking up, eating a donut, going to the latest hotel, relaxing and staring at screens, eating lunch, more relaxing and staring at screens, eating dinner, and staying up late watching screens until I couldn't concentrate anymore and thus was eventually dismissed to sleep again.

But then, I also had a lot of time to think about things. _This is so much like a fanfiction_, I thought to myself one day soon after lunch. _Four girls who love Death Note happen to be whisked away to its world, and one of them manages to get into the Kira case. And then I'm able to come up with a plan – which _will _work – that makes Light a good guy and saves the day. The only difference is… well one, there are no pairings as of yet. And two, this is all _real_. I still find it hard to believe this is real, but it must be. It's impossible for it not to be. There is no possible way for this to be fake. Unless…._

_Am I insane?_

_Have I gone insane? Is all of this just some sort of lucid hallucination? Is it all… just my mind playing tricks? What if, in reality, when I fell asleep, I never woke up – what if I'm in a coma?_ I could see the cartoon-y-ness creeping back into my vision. _Great… now I feel so depressed…. Here I was, so happy that it was all real, and now I realize it's more logical for it to be… insanity. _I let out a sigh_. Oh well…. I guess I'll just enjoy this while it lasts. Who knows, maybe it _is _real. While that small possibility exists, I should still try to make this place better…._

Time continued to slide by at its own pace, disregarding my desire for it to speed forward. But then, as the saying goes, 'This too shall pass.' And pass it eventually did. "It's been almost two months since Light's been put in jail…," I mumbled to myself as I absently spun a spoon around in my still-full cup of tea, resting my chin on the palm of my hand. I watched blankly as Aizawa argued in vain against L's decision to keep Light and Misa detained. "I wonder how long until he's out…?" I gazed thoughtfully to the right. My mind was tired and fuzzy, kind of like when a student is in the midst of summer vacation (which I technically was), but my brain was smart enough to not give away I knew everything, even when no one was listening. "I'm pretty sure things will get more interesting if he comes out. After all, then we'll be able to go after whoever's killing now…." I sighed. _And to think… summer vacation would be almost over if I were back at home…. Wow… it makes me wonder what's going on at home. I'm either insane, in a coma, or gone without a trace, so my parents are probably worried sick…. Oh, and since I've been here so long, Anna, Sierra, and Sam are probably growing impatient about the whole thing too…. Ugh, there I go, thinking of that hotel room as home again. Probably because I don't have anywhere else to return to anyway…._

"Natsumi, please listen to me," L said irritably, and I snapped to attention.

"What? Oh, sorry!" I cried, jumping to my feet (though my lazy subconscious protested). "What'd you say?" I looked around. "…Where'd everyone go?"

"I told everyone they were allowed to go home," L explained.

"Oh…. Okay then…."

"You should come right back, though, of course. Meet the others as per usual." He turned back to face the screens.

"Um, okay. Bye then…." And so, I left, feeling incredibly awkward and stupid. Once I reached the outside of the building, though, reality hit, and I jumped happily into the air. "This period is done!" I shouted with glee, almost jogging back to my hotel. "We're back, baby! We're gonna catch Higuchi," – I hugged a lamppost – "and then _everything _will be better." I then crossed the street to continue on my way to my hotel room.

"Mas-chan!" I exclaimed, throwing the hotel room door open wide, causing it to slam against the wall. (Mas is, by the way, pronounced like 'moss.') "Yui, Michiyo! I'm _back_!"

"Eilatan-chan!" Sam squealed.

"Uh, what?" asked Anna.

"Natalie!" Sierra cried, glomping me.

"It's Natsumi, dear Yui!" I said back in the same tone. I rushed to give Anna a hug, and then Sam (who rejected my hug, but oh well). I then ran to the area where we hung our clothes, grabbed something to change into, and bounded into the bathroom.

"What the hell took you?" asked Sam through the door.

"Well me and the others took a while just staring at Light, Light's dad, and Misa, but now that's over and soon we'll be in that big fancy building!" I replied delightedly. "Time's progressing, finally!"

"Oh my god!" squealed Sam.

"Awesome!" yelped Sierra.

"Cool!" commented Anna, at the same time as Sierra.

I ran back out, grinning wide, and said, "I'm sorry guys, but I gotta go right back. I think I can come back here again soon though!" Sure, I had time at the hotel, but we didn't talk much for the simple reason it was either at night or early morning.

"Um, alright…," said Anna.

And I left them again. So, I met Matsuda at the police station, and he led me quickly to the headquarters. "I wonder what it is Ryuuzaki has in mind…," Matsuda commented. "I bet you he has a plan."

"Maybe," I said. "Something we can't hear about yet, though, apparently. He only wanted to speak to Mr. Yagami, right?" I'd learned earlier that it was better to use '_Mister_.' Oops. "I think he wanted just his opinion because he didn't want us interjecting."

"I see you're thinking again, Natsumi," Matsuda commented with a smile. "That's good."

"Well, I bet his plan's something we wouldn't agree to easily; Ryuuzaki does stuff like that."

"You think so?" Matsuda asked. "I hope it isn't anything too drastic. It makes me feel real bad for Light…."

"Yeah…."

We eventually reached headquarters, to find L talking to Soichiro and Watari. And as I heard 'Ryuuzaki' telling the two of them to put cameras in his car, my stomach filled with excitement and my brain started working again. _Oh, boy!_ I thought. We_ are back in the game._

* * *

**Who here just lost The Game? *raises hand***

**DID ANYONE NOTICE THE FORESHADOWING?**

**Okay. So... Kira hugs and memories lost. Fun! :D We're almost to the fun part! And I promise that Yui/Sierra, Sayuri/Sam, and Michiyo/Anna _will _get their own respective important parts later in the story. *grin* I have a childish excitement to show it to you, actually.**

_**Fun fact**_**: You know that whole thing with the eyesight becoming more realistic and all that? I didn't originally plan for that to happen. But then, as I was writing the beginning, it just... happened. An idea formed, and now it exists in this story. *shrug* It works well, though, I think. Cartoons/anime is familiar territory, and if our well-loved characters were suddenly realistic, it wouldn't look right. But if it were gradually changed... Yeah.**

**Review? :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**...I have nothing to say here. Hope you like this (short) chapter!**

* * *

It was three more days until the plan was ready for action, and this was when it took place. And once this plan was over and Soichiro wasn't dead, Misa and Light were set free. Well, Misa was under surveillance, and Light was handcuffed to L, but other than that they were free. "Ah," I sighed, gazing amusedly at L and Light holding up their chained hands. "And things finally happen."

"Do you really need to go this far?" asked Light, looking at his wrist. "Ryuuzaki…."

"Yes, Light," I mumbled, "yes he does."

"I don't think they're listening to you," Matsuda said to me, cupping his mouth with his hand to direct it at only me.

"I know," I replied, "but I like getting involved with little things such as this." I smiled. "Even if no one's listening."

"Doing this with guys is kinda gross," commented Misa. "Are you that type, Mr. Ryuuzaki?"

"Oh my god," I muttered. _Why don't I remember this happening?_

"But Light is Misa's Light," Misa protested, "and if you're with him 24-7 then when is Misa going to go on dates with Light?"

"Why are you speaking in the third person?" I asked. Misa did not seem to hear me.

"You know, they really aren't listening…," said Matsuda.

"I don't care!" I huffed, crossing my arms. I looked up at Matsuda; he was standing behind the chair I was sitting in. "Are you suggesting I speak in my _head_?"

"Well, um…."

I closed my eyes. "I'm sorry, Matsu, but it's a force of habit for me to think out loud. I sometimes talk to myself too. I get it from my mom, you know. You know… I kinda miss her."

"Your mom? Oh, that's right… aren't you…?"

"Yeah. My mom is dead." _Actually, I have no idea how she is. Which, in a way, is worse._

"Well… I'm sorry about that…. Really, I am. I can't imagine…."

"Stop," I said, frowning. "Please. Thank you for you sympathy, but…." _I don't deserve it. This didn't really happen to me, anyway. _"Besides, think about it. Isn't Ryuuzaki an orphan too?" I asked thoughtfully.

"What?" asked L, turning to look over at us.

"Ryuuzaki, are you listening?" asked Misa. "You're the one who asked the question, you should pay attention!"

"I'm sorry, we were interrupted," he replied, looking back at Misa blankly.

"Sorry Ryuuzaki!" I called. "Didn't mean to interrupt!"

"Anyway," said Misa, "how many times do I have to say I went to Aoyama on a whim?"

I smiled lightly. _I wonder when we're going to go to that big building, _I mused. _Oh, I hope I don't get too hyper when I'm around this group. I almost did that one time… it makes me feel kinda stupid now…. _"Hey Matsuda?" I asked. His was the only name I was allowed to say without 'Mister' in front of it.

"Yeah, Natsumi?"

"Sorry about that whole weird thing in that one hotel. I'm pretty sure I was annoying for those few minutes…. After all, I bet you don't even know who Momiji or Selim Bradley are."

"No, I can't say I do…. But you weren't _that _annoying."

"Thanks…. I must admit I feel pretty idiotic now, though. And you know that whole 'cute' thing?"

"Um, yeah…."

"Well, I was talking to my friend, and _I _think of kittens and little children when I think of cute. I guess it's your eyes."

"My eyes?"

"Yeah. Your eyes are so big and wide. Child-like and innocent. That's a good thing, by the way."

"Uh, thanks, I guess…."

"Sorry. I like to explain my random-ness afterwards to the victims so that they understand better and don't take it the wrong way or anything like that."

"Oh, yeah, I get it."

"Yeah…." I tuned back into the other conversation taking place.

"Anyways, I will be putting Misa under surveillance," said L. "I got this connecting room especially for Misa so she could visit Light, so please endure this for a bit. The door to Misa's room is set so that the inside and the outside take this card key to open it. When you wish to go out, then call us through the private line. We've paid your agency and told them that anything personal or for work, from now on Matsuda, as Manager Matsui, go everywhere with you. We have not told the police this so please do not reveal it to them."

"I don't want this old man to be my manager," said Misa, looking at Matsuda.

I made an effort not to laugh. "Right after I said he looked like a little kid, too," I mumbled to myself.

"No way…," protested Matsuda in disbelief. "What part of me is dissatisfying to you? MisaMisa…."

"_Will you all just stop it with the talk about homos and dates and kissing and MisaMisa already?_" yelled Aizawa.

"Holy crud," I said in a small voice. "Mr. Aizawa, you scared the crap out of me."

"Shut up!" he barked at me. "This the investigation on Kira, understand? All of you need to be more serious about it all!"

"But I am serious," I mumbled, hurt. I never did like being yelled at.

"I… I'm sorry…," said Matsuda, scratching the back of his head.

"Uh… no… sorry…," replied Aizawa. "I know you're taking this seriously, but…." He frowned and walked to Misa, grabbing her by the arm. "Now girl… you go to your room."

"Why—?" asked Misa, but Aizawa closed the door on her. She caught the door and pushed with all her might, calling out over Aizawa's arm, "Light, even if it's the three of us, let's go on a date, okay-?" And the door was slammed.

Aizawa let out a sigh of relief.

I chuckled. "And that, people, is what I call a fangirl."

"A fangirl?" asked Soichiro.

"Yeah. That's what people like me call girls who love someone obsessively…. Most of the time, it isn't even real love, but… whatever."

"Ah," he replied.

"You mean I should become intimate with her and try to find out about the second Kira?" asked Light, alarmed.

_Ha, I just missed the question before that, _I thought.

"…Why the two of you were released was in order to grasp the beginning of a solution from Amane," said L.

"And there I go, missing half of his sentence," I mumbled to myself. "I've gotta stop doing that if I want to earn his trust… and, well, I just in general have to pay attention. …I'm talking to myself when I should be listening, aren't I?"

"I think so," replied Matsuda.

"It was a rhetorical question."

"Oh, sorry."

"No, you're right, Light…," said L. "However, it would help if you also explained to her not to let out secrets of the investigation team."

"Ryuuzaki, can't you do something about the continuous changing of hotels?" asked Light. "I think that we should just settle down in one place and continue the investigation."

I grinned. "For the record, I like that idea!" I agreed, raising my hand.

"Yes, I have also been thinking about that for awhile now," agreed L, walking forward and pulling Light along with him. "Therefore…from the time I decided to meet with all of you and do this investigation, I started building this." I stood up to see the image he pulled up on the computer screen, peering from beside Matsuda. "This will be completed in a few days, here." The image of a large building came up on the screen, and everyone, of course, reacted in surprise. "Twenty-three floors high, two basement floors, the rooftop made so that it cannot be observed from the outside, but there is also enough landing room for at least two helicopters."

"Awesome sauce," I commented.

"From the outside it looks like just another skyscraper," continued L, "but in order to get inside one must go through a line of security checks. The computer equipment inside is also not anything that you would see every day. From the fifth to the twentieth floor, each floor has four private rooms. I would like to have everyone live here as much as possible. Even if we were to increase the amount of people participating in the investigation, we can have at least up to sixty people. There's no problem if we give Misa a floor of her own, right?"

"Huh?" asked Light. "Yeah. Even so, this is incredible, going this far…."

"More than that…," said Matsuda. "Where is all this money coming from? Ryuuzaki…."

"…What I mean… is that I wish to solve this case no matter what. That is what this means," said L.

"No… that's no answer…," said Aizawa.

I chuckled nervously; I'd forgotten Aizawa was right behind me.

"Yes, that's right…," said Light. "I can't forgive this mass murderer, the man who caused my father and me to go through all this; I want to capture him no matter what."

"If you say 'no matter what,'" said L, "then get more intimate with Misa and try to—"

"I can't do that. It goes against my humanity."

"Indeed… what a pity…."

_Right… it wasn't against your humanity before, _I thought.

"Ha…," chuckled Aizawa, actually trying not to laugh.

"Huh?" asked Soichiro.

"No… I'm getting more and more excited."

"Oh boy! Mr. Aizawa, now you can finally understand how I feel!" I cried.

He ignored me. "Ryuuzaki, Yagami, and Light, let's capture Kira no matter what!"

"Um, you forgot to say my name…," said Matsuda.

"Me too…," I added.

"We will capture Kira," said L. "I am certain of it."

* * *

"Guys," I said a few days later, folding up my clothes and stuffing them in one of the bags we got when we had first bought clothes, "I'm going to live at headquarters."

"But, wait, what about us?" interjected Sam. "Didn't you say you were going to get us into the investigation?"

I thought for a moment, pausing in my packing. "Yeah, I guess I did." Then I continued to pack.

"We haven't even met L yet!" Anna protested. "I wanna meet him!"

"Can't we at least live there too?" asked Sam.

"Maybe… maybe Natalie hasn't—I mean, Natsumi hasn't had the chance to get us in," suggested Sierra.

"Yeah, right!" scoffed Sam. "She's been with L for over two months! I at least want to _meet _L before this whole plan happens. And if that plan _doesn't _work, I swear, I'll—"

"It'll work, Sayuri," I said. "You can take my word for it." And so, I packed my things; there wasn't much to get. Clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste; nothing special really, except for maybe the manga box set. It was one of the last things we had from home.

"Bye!" I called later on. "I'll come by occasionally, I swear!"

"Alright…," mumbled Anna. "Bye."

"Bye," Sierra said, smiling despite not feeling particularly happy.

"Yeah," said Sam, not looking directly at me, arms crossed. "Bye."

I left; it was a bittersweet goodbye. Sure, I was excited for all of this, but my friends were obviously feeling left out. "Hey, Natsumi," Matsuda greeted at the police station. "Are you…?" He eyed my bag. "Oh. Yes, you are."

"Staying at the building? Yeah…." I set the suitcase-bag-thing in the back, then went around to what I thought was the passenger side. Then I saw a steering wheel, and quickly made my way to what was actually the passenger side, and sat down, buckling my seatbelt. _That's so weird, _I thought. "I have to feel bad for my friends, though. They're stuck on their own 'til the Kira case is over."

"They must feel lonely… they should move in!"

"They're outsiders," I replied. "Ryuuzaki said specifically that even family are considered so. And then… if that's true, my friends would most certainly not be allowed in."

"Yeah…. That's too bad."

"Yeah…." I shrugged. "Oh well." A large building loomed above us, and we drove in under it and onto a platform, where Matsuda typed in a code on a keypad beside his window.

"You have to type in your security code, and have your fingerprint identified," explained Matsuda. We soon found ourselves outside of the car. "And here, you have to take off all metal belongings. You got anything?"

"Uh… no. No I don't. But I can put my bag here…."

"What about your belt?" asked Matsuda as he slipped of his own belt and took his keys and wallet out of his pocket.

"Right…." I took off my belt, then set it where he'd put his stuff. He walked through, then grabbed his things at the other end. I tried to walk through, but it beeped. "Oh. Um…." I tried taking out my hotel key, which was really just a card, then stepped through. It beeped again. "Uh…." I checked my pockets. There was nothing else in them. "Okay then…." I felt my head. "Wait. What am I thinking? I have Light hair; I can't possibly be wearing it in a ponytail!" Matsuda was laughing on the other side. "Um… oh! My bracelet!" I slid off my bracelet – it was a friendship bracelet from Sam, with a little plate of metal on it with a quote engraved on its surface. I walked through without a beep this time. I let out a sigh, and received my things.

"Now I've gotta get my eyeball scanned. After that, you're done!" he smiled.

"How do you do an eyeball scan?" I asked.

He demonstrated as he explained, "Just stare into the black area here, and try not to blink when the light comes on. See, it scans the blood vessels in your retina, since everyone has it differently."

"Really? I didn't know that…."

"It won't recognize you, though, since you weren't scanned beforehand. But look, now we can get in."

"This is so awesome."

"Well, that's Ryuuzaki for you!" replied Matsuda as we walked into the main room. "Hey, guys!" Matsuda greeted.

"Ah, you're here," said L. He looked at me, then eyed my bag. "I assume you'll be staying here, then?"

"Yeah," I replied.

"Your room will be on the sixth floor, in the first room on the left," he said, holding up an access card.

I went forward to receive it. "Thanks…. I'll be right back then…." I located an elevator at the right of the room, ignored the epic-looking stairs, and went to the sixth floor. "This is so awesome," I said to myself. "Six just so happens to be my favorite number! Plus, I'm a lefty, so the whole 'on the left' thing is a cool coincidence, too!" With a ding, the elevator door opened, and I went, as instructed, to the first room on the left. "This… is so… _fancy_!" I cried, then hastily put my clothes away on hangers in a walk-in closet. I gazed around the room, observing very carefully to see if there were any cameras. None were seen, but I couldn't be too careful. So, I left the manga in the bag, then set the bag on the dresser, rolling it up to be sure it couldn't be looked into from any side. Then, I made my way back down to where everyone else was.

"Hello again!" I greeted. Matsuda was showing Aizawa how to start the computer, while L sat idly and Light observed. (Soichiro and Mogi weren't here yet. After all, today we were just settling in.) "L?" I asked.

"Yes, Natsumi?"

"You don't think I'm useless, do you? 'Cause I know I have been for the past two months…."

"You do have a listening problem. That is a fact."

"Yeah… I apologize for that…. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I know I have problems with zoning out and stuff, but from here on I will have the utmost concentration. I'll try harder than anything… I'll try harder than I've tried at anything in my life. I swear on my parent's graves that I will make a difference; that I will play a part in helping capture Kira. I swear it…."

"That sounds good, Natsumi. I'm glad to hear you have your determination back."

_Again… he doesn't sound glad at all…. He sounds emotionless… as usual…. _"Ryuuzaki, I guarantee I won't be thought of as nothing but someone who drags you and the team down…. I was invited in, and that is a privilege that, at the moment, I don't deserve, but I will earn it in due time. I want Kira gone once and for all." I smiled lightly. "And I guess a part of me wants to earn your respect, too. For the record, I think you're awesome. Just so you know."

He continued gazing at me without any notable reaction. "Well, it sounds promising, at least. I'll hope to see you contribute in catching Kira."

"You will," I grinned, then proceeded to observe Matsuda's explanation on how to work the computer.

* * *

**...So... we're at the building! The big, fancy, tall building of L-ness! Things are progressing rather quickly...**

_**Fun Fact: **_**This chapter was actually overly long... but then I split in in half. So... yeah... Sorry.**

**...I'll laugh if no one's reading these author's notes. :D**

**Review please?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A double update? Whatever for?**

**Well... tomorrow it's my dad's birthday. :D So even though he's not involved, here is an extra chapter. (Plus, it makes up for the relative shortness of the last chapter...)**

* * *

"Okay…." I glared at the computer screen. "…it's all in Japanese…." I closed my eyes, then opened them determinedly. "I got this. No going for help or anything. I'll decipher it all, and then I'll find the Yotsuba information!"

"What are you talking about, Natsumi?" asked Matsuda.

_I'm such an idiot_. "I'm ranting to myself. Sorry."

"No, it's fine. What are you ranting about?"

"How complicated this computer is."

"Oh, it's not that bad," he said.

"…I can't read Japanese," I said flatly.

"How do you work it?" asked Soichiro.

"Oh," Matsuda said, then went to him, leaning forward. "See, it's really just like a normal computer, so it has a lot of the same functions…. There's differences too, obviously. Like, there's a program to view the security cameras. You just turn it on, which it already is. Then, use this key to start it up…."

"Good day," greeted Aizawa, coming in in only a shirt, boxers, and socks.

"Okay then," I mumbled.

"A pain just to get in when you're not used the fingerprint and retina."

"What happened to your forehead?" asked Soichiro.

Aizawa, after all, had a band-aid on his forehead. "Oh, I got in a fight with my wife…. Our kid is still small, so it looks like I'll have to be commuting."

"Yeah, you should be going home," agreed Soichiro.

"What a waste," commented Matsuda. "It's incredible. It's hard to find a room like the ones in here in a million-dollar mansion. Your whole family should move in here."

"We've been over this," I said. "They're outsiders."

"Yeah," agreed Aizawa. "Don't be stupid. If I was able to at least say it's revenge for Ukita then my wife would understand... Where's Ryuuzaki?"

"On a date, along with Light in MisaMisa's room," answered Matsuda. "Want to see?"

"Huh, we can see it?"

"In this building, there are security cameras everywhere leaving no blind spots. In the rooms, too, of course, but only MisaMisa's room is watched regularly."

_Thank goodness I was cautious, _I thought. _Otherwise, that manga would be on tape. Which would be bad._

"…Ryuuzaki would do that," said Aizawa. "But Matsuda, stop calling her MisaMisa."

"Oh, right. Well, let's take a look." Matsuda tapped at the keys. "So, it comes up on this screen…."

I clapped a hand to my mouth to stop from laughing. This was the scene where they fought; _awesome!_

"Hey… this doesn't feel like a date like this…," commented Misa.

"You don't have to mind me," said L, stuffing cake in his mouth. "Are you going to eat that cake?"

"I watch the sweets because they make you fat…," Misa replied.

"If you use your head, then you won't get fat even if you eat sweets."

"Oh! There you go making fun of me again…. How about if I give you the cake, you leave me and Light alone together?"

"Even if I leave you and Light alone together I can watch from the cameras, so it's the same thing."

"I told you that's perverted! Will you stop with that kind of fetish?"

L stood, leaning forward and reaching out his arm. "Say what you like, I'm still taking your cake."

I laughed. "Oh, I love L," I chuckled.

"You'd think the world's greatest detective would be a little more serious," muttered Aizawa.

"Well, fine," said Misa on video. "When I'm alone with Light then I'll close the curtains and turn off the lights!"

"It's also an infrared camera," L replied dully.

"Then should we cover ourselves with the futon, Light?" asked Misa.

"More importantly," said Light, "we moved to a headquarters that has the equipment, but you don't seem to have any kind of motivation, Ryuuzaki."

"'More importantly…,'" Misa repeated. "That's mean…."

"Motivation?" asked L. "I don't have any…. I'm depressed."

"Depressed?" asked Light.

"Yes…. It's because I kept thinking you were Kira."

_It's so quiet in this room…. It's like we're all watching TV, _I thought. _Ha, this _is _a TV show._

"It's just a shock if that theory was wrong. No, I still have suspicions about you. That's why we are doing this." He held up his handcuffed hand. "However, Kira was able to control people's actions. So… Kira controlled you in a way that I'd suspect you… Kira controlled you and Misa… if I think of it that way then the ends meet… but, why you two are still alive is the part that doesn't make sense. If they were controlled and killed without any awareness, then they would've just been victims. I'll have to start investigating from the beginning. Back to the starting point. If Kira found and controlled you because you were capable of stealing the police's information and made it so that I'd suspect you… then even I'd be bitter. I'm very down about it."

_Long explanation,_ I thought. _And just to say why he was depressed._

"Ryuuzaki…" said Light, "with that theory, wouldn't Misa and I, although controlled, have been Kira?"

"Yes, there'd be no question about that. You are both Kira."

_Yeah, go L! Even when everything's messed up, he gets stuff right!_

"The way I see it, when you were detained, you were Kira. And when you were detained the criminals stopped dying. Until that point, you being Kira makes sense. However, after two weeks, the criminals started dying again. From that, this next assumption is a possibility. Kira's power passes from person to person. The second Kira's video also said 'share the power.'"

_So close, L. Yet so far…. But I'll keep you from dying. Gosh, I feel so happy._

"That's an interesting thought," said Light, "but if Kira was able to do that, then there's no way to catch him."

"Yes… that's why I'm stuck. Controlling someone to kill criminals. If that person gets caught, then the powers transfer to someone else, and their memories disappear…. There would be no closure by just catching them…."

"But that hasn't been officially decided yet. We still don't know enough about Kira."

_Okay, _I thought. _This time innocent-Light is right._

"Bring out some motivation."

"Motivation?" L asked again. "I can't bring much out…. No, it's not a good idea to try too hard. By trying too hard to chase, we put our lives at greater risk… don't you think? To think how many times I thought I was going to die…."

"Ryuuzaki…," Light said, getting to his feet.

"Hm?"

Light responded by punching him in the face, causing L to go flying into the wall, Light jumping skillfully over the table after him so he wasn't dragged by the chain.

I clasped my hands over my mouth again. _Don't laugh_, I thought. _Don't laugh…. If this is real, then they're really fighting, and that actually hurt him. Don't laugh, Natalie, you idiot, don't laugh…._

"That hurt," said L flatly.

_I think we all assumed it would, L,_ I thought, looking around at the task force. "Um, guys? Shouldn't we… do something?"

"No, leave them," said Soichiro.

"You're kidding," I said.

"We gotta stop them!" cried Matsuda.

"No, Matsuda…. Don't do anything," insisted Soichiro.

So we watched in silence as the fight continued, until Matsuda's manager cell phone went off. He used the news he got as an opportunity to break up the fight, immediately calling Misa's room. Both Light and L stopped mid-punch, then L answered the phone. "Yes?"

"Ryuuzaki, good news!" said Matsuda excitedly.

"What happened?" L asked urgently.

"MisaMisa is number one on the Eighteen reader's popularity poll. The two-month disappearance actually became a buzz and helped out."

"…I see…."

"That 'I see' didn't sound like you were interested…. This means she's a sure thing as the heroine for Nishinaka's next film!" There was a buzzing sound on the system. "Oh, and—" L hung up.

"What happened?" asked Light.

"Matsuda was just being an idiot again."

"Well, Matsuda's a natural at that…."

"…Those two know we can hear them, right?" asked Matsuda, eye twitching slightly.

"Um, what was that buzzing noise?" I asked.

"It means someone's at the public entrance, though I can't see why…." The public entrance had a lobby, but you couldn't get into the area we were in unless someone manually let you in. Matsuda held down a button and said into a microphone, "Hello, what is your business?"

"We want to see L," came a little girl's voice.

Matsuda blinked, then pressed another button, causing an image of my nieces and Sam – Sam was holding a box – to appear on the screen. "State your names, please."

Aizawa whacked him over the head. "You don't ask people's names – you of all people should know that since you're on the _Kira case_!"

"Sorry!" yelped Matsuda.

"I don't think it's smart to give out our names," said Sierra.

"Yeah, isn't there, oh, I dunno, a mass murderer that kills people with names going around?" asked Sam.

"Why are you here?" asked Aizawa into the microphone.

"We want to see L," said Sam very seriously, then paused. "Please," she added.

"We have donuts!" added Anna.

Soichiro, Matsuda, and Aizawa glanced at one another. Matsuda grabbed the phone, and called Misa's room again. All but one screen showed Misa's room (one screen showed my friends), so I was able to listen and watch L's responses. "Yes?"

"Ryuuzaki—"

"Matsuda, please don't waste time."

"No, no, it's just that someone's at the public entrance."

"…Public entrance?"

"Yeah, it's three girls. They say they want to see you. They have donuts, too, if that makes a difference."

"May I have the phone?" I asked.

"Oh, sure," replied Matsuda, and handed it to me.

"L—er, Ryuuzaki? This is Natsumi."

"Hello."

"Hi. Those kids that want to see you are my friends; they can be trusted, I swear."

"That does not change the fact that they are outsiders."

"Ryuuzaki… can they just give you the donuts? All they want is to meet you…. If it helps, you can blindfold them and handcuff them until they reach the room you want to meet them in. I know it seems silly, but…. For the donuts?"

"…Connect me to them."

"Uh…."

Matsuda was able to do it for me, luckily.

"This is L," L said to my friends.

Anna's lips went into a thin line, while Sam pursed her lips. _They don't want to speak, _I thought. _No… they're keeping themselves from speaking._

"Hello, L," Sierra greeted, surprisingly calm. "It's nice to speak to you. It's an honor."

"Why do you want to speak to me?"

"One, we wanted to give you donuts. Natsumi – we're her friends, you know – once gave a vague mention of how you liked sweets. Two, we'd like to ask you an important question. Well, it's important for us, anyway. Perhaps not as much for you. Still, I'd like to at least try…."

"What is this question? Is it possible for you to ask it from there?"

"Well…. I wouldn't mind saying it, but Michiyo here doesn't like talking about the subject that needs to be brought up in our reasons for you to agree."

"Would you mind being blindfolded and handcuffed?"

"No, no, we wouldn't mind at all. Right, guys?" Sierra looked from Sam to Anna.

"It sounds fun to me," said Sam.

"I wouldn't mind," said Anna quietly.

"Natsumi will be out in a moment, then." L closed the connection, then spoke to me. "Natsumi, would you hand the phone to Aizawa?"

Aizawa grabbed the phone. "Yeah?"

"Get three blindfolds and three pairs of handcuffs; there should be some in the cabinet on the left side of the room. Now, please hand me back to Natsumi."

"On it."

He handed me the phone, then went to get the blindfolds and handcuffs. "Hi, Ryuuzaki," I greeted.

"You may go out to meet your friends; they already know who you are. I will be waiting on the twentieth floor in the first room on the right."

"Alright. Thank you."

"Yes." And he hung up just as Aizawa handed me what I needed. I then walked out to the lobby thing to find my friends standing there.

Sam let out a giggle, then covered her mouth. Sierra and Anna grinned in greeting. I started awkwardly yet hastily (since I knew the team was most likely watching) blindfolding and handcuffing my friends. "_We made it in,_" whispered Sierra as I wrapped the black blindfold around her head. I simply smiled, then led the three of them in, onto the elevator, and up to the twentieth floor, all while carrying a box of donuts.

"Walk forward," I said patiently as the elevator door opened. Sam walked into the wall, then tried not to laugh as she made her way out the correct way. I then carefully led them to the designated room, which was fortunately unlocked.

"Natsumi, you may set the donuts here, and release their handcuffs," said L. I did so. "Now, please lead all but the girl who spoke most out and into that room, over there, and leave. Please close the door to the room you leave them in."

I led Anna and Sam to the connecting room.

"You two, when the door closes behind you, you may take off your blindfolds."

I led them in, then closed the door.

"Natsumi, please leave."

I nodded, then left, closing the door behind me. However, I will stay within this area of action. Because it is interesting, and pretty important.

"You may remove your blindfold," said L.

Sierra removed it, then grinned, looking around. "Wow, this is awesome!" she commented. "Hi Light!" (Light was obviously there, considering he was _handcuffed _to L.)

"Hello… Yui, right?"

"Yup! And then… does that mean you're L?" Sierra asked, looking to L, who had one of those anti-Kira masks where you couldn't see his face. Poor Light, not having a helmet. Ha.

"That is correct," replied L. "Yui, then. Please call me Ryuuzaki. I apologize for having to do this, but I first need to do a test on each one of you separately to make sure you are not Kira."

"That makes sense," Sierra replied. And so, Sierra, then Anna, and finally Sam did the tests to make sure they weren't Kira.

Sam, upon entering, saw Light, then ran to hug him. (I bet you weren't expecting that, were you?) "Light!" she said happily, rubbing her face against his shirt. Then she proceeded to pet his hair as she continued to hug him. (L, meanwhile, just sort of watched, while Light pretty much had the same expression as when Misa fangirled over him.) "Your hair is so soft and cuddly!" Sam explained. "…But still gay," she added, releasing him and plopping down onto her chair. It was only then that she began her test.

When she finished, L removed his mask. "Please tell the others to come in," he said, setting the mask down. He was opening the box of donuts when Anna and Sierra were coming back with Sam. Sam was giggling hysterically.

"Um, please don't mind Sayuri," said Sierra. "She just had chocolate, and… well… she's easily affected by sugar."

"I want more chocolate," Sam whined.

"Please, Sayuri, we need to be serious about this," said Sierra, and Sam covered her mouth with her hands.

"I'm trying to hold it back, I really am," she said, voice muffled.

"Alright, it's okay," replied Sierra, then sat down.

L took a bite out of a chocolate donut of his own, then asked, "So what was your question?"

"Please hear us out before you say no, alright?" said Sierra in response.

There was a pause. "Please continue," said L.

"Alright…. Sayuri, Michiyo and I wanted to know if we could stay here. We're well aware we're outsiders, as Natsumi pointed out when we asked her, but…. We don't really have a place of our own to stay. All we have is a hotel room, and we don't have the money to pay for it. We don't want to borrow too much from Light's mom – that's how we pay for living there. None of us have parents. In my case, they're dead, but for Michiyo, she was abandoned, and Sayuri ran away…. We – the four of us, I mean – have grown so close over the years that we almost consider each other sisters…. All we want is to be a little closer to Natsumi. To be able to support her and… to be able to handle ourselves, so she doesn't worry. You can even put cameras in wherever we stay! We don't even want too fancy a room… just somewhere, with enough food to live by."

"If you're so close, and you can't handle being on your own, then why did Natsumi come to live here?" asked L.

"She said she wanted to try her best," said Anna softly.

"She said she wanted to give her all, to rid the world of Kira," said Sierra. "She said… she said she didn't want to be a burden to you anymore."

"I see," commented L, finishing his donut.

"So… what is your answer?" asked Sierra hesitantly.

L licked some of the chocolate frosting off of his fingers. "My answer is no, you cannot stay here."

"Why not?" cried Anna.

"You are still outsiders; this story does not change that." He set his hands on his knees in his normal position. "You are no use to the investigation, therefore you would only be a burden."

"Ryuuzaki!" protested Light. "Don't you think that's a bit harsh? They just want a place to stay; they don't even have a home! If you don't do it for them, at least do it for Natsumi! I hear she hasn't been much help, but I know she's smart, and she's proved to me more than once she knows a lot more than the average kid. I don't remember the specifics of how she proved it, but she did, and that's a fact. Maybe it would make things easier if they were to stay!"

"Light, I already said it was no. Besides, weren't you against Natsumi joining the investigation?"

"I was, that's true, but… maybe there was something wrong with me. Maybe it was just my stupid pride, just me wanting to be the youngest on the investigation."

"I see…."

"They really wouldn't be too much trouble," Light persisted. "Just put them in Natsumi's room. If you don't trust them, put them on occasional watch."

"We wouldn't mind being stared at by random people," said Sam.

"And if there's only one bed in Natsumi's room, I wouldn't mind sleeping on the floor," said Sierra.

"Me neither!" added Anna.

"Actually, I like the floor," commented Sam.

L frowned, looking at Light with an irritated expression, then picked up the phone on the table. "Hello?" he asked after pressing one button. "Yes, give the phone to Natsumi. …Would you mind if your friends roomed with you? …Alright." He hung up, then looked to the ceiling.

"Really, Ryuuzaki," said Light, sounding annoyed himself. "I'm pretty sure they're innocent; they did the tests, didn't they? Plus, I know them. Sure, there's a possibility, but they agreed to being watched. What's the harm in it? Surely they're an exception if they don't have a home in the first place!" L glanced at Light, then gazed with those big eyes at Sam, Sierra, and Anna. There was a long pause.

"…Alright."

* * *

"Natsumi," Matsuda said excitedly after he put down the phone, "your friends are staying here!"

"Huh? What's so special about them?" asked Aizawa.

I grinned and shrugged. "Maybe it's because we don't have a home."

"There's a point," commented Matsuda.

"Oh… uh… yeah…," agreed Aizawa sheepishly.

That night, I arrived in my room to find my friends waiting for me. "Oh my god, guys, I love you all!" I cried, and spread my arms for a group hug. Only Sierra and Anna joined in, for Sam was no longer in a huggy mood.

"Yeah, yeah. We're here," said Sam.

Anna grinned. "Sam—"

"Sayuri," I corrected.

"_Sayuri _hugged Light and said he was soft and lovely!"

"I said _cuddly_, and I was talking about his hair!" Sam snapped.

"Sayuri," I asked in surprise, "you hugged Light? Not only did you actually _hug _someone, but you hugged _Light_! That's going against two of your beliefs!"

"Yeah, well, I had chocolate."

"Oh," I said, as if that explained everything. Which it did. "I understand now…. But still, that proves that a part of you doesn't hate him!" I exclaimed in triumph.

"What? No!"

"Oh really?" I asked, raising my eyebrows, then sighed. "I should be getting to sleep, though. Tomorrow I'll be needing the ability to focus." I set the alarm clock that came with the room to go off at five thirty, and lay down on the floor. "Anna, if I don't get up, then wake me up, okay?"

"Okay, Aunt Natalie."

"My name isn't Natalie, remember?"

"Oh, right… sorry…."

"It's alright, Michiyo."

"Oh!" gasped Sierra. "That's right! We keep forgetting to give you this!" She pulled a notepad out of her pocket. "Light left this note for you right before he forfeited the Death Note." I took the notebook, and read what it had to say. He'd even taken into consideration the fact that I couldn't read Japanese…. The writing was quick and slightly rushed, but we all know Light is an expert at writing things quickly what with all the dramatic writing scenes in the anime. The note read:

_Natsumi, you most likely already know my plan and what I'm about to do. Just make sure you do one thing: _don't let me know who I am.

That's what it said, no more, no less, but the message was clear enough: don't tell innocent-Light that he was Kira, and don't give him a piece of the note to make him remember. Just let the plan go… well, as planned. Of course, it wouldn't go as planned, because I would stop him from getting his memories at all. I smiled. "Thanks, guys…. Goodnight, everyone."

There were sounds of response, and I smiled as I lay down on the floor. It felt more like home now that they were with me. And then, I drifted slowly away to sleep.

* * *

**Ah... everyone's together, Light's lost his memories, life is bliss. Now then, how long will that last?**

**And you now have glimpsed what Sam can be like when given chocolate.**

_**Fun Fact: **_**In case you couldn't tell yet, the four characters - Natalie/Natsumi, Sam/Sayuri, Sierra/Yui, and Anna/Michiyo - are all based upon real people.**

**So... yeah. Hope you liked it~ Review for me?...**


	9. Chapter 9

**Ah... this'll be a fun chapter. Anonymous reviewers~**

_**paige g**_**:** You said, 'oh, he is not...?' right? I'm sorry, but... who is not what? Aha... Did you mean... Tony, maybe?

**I do believe I won't be updating on Fridays any longer. Just on Mondays and Wednesdays. Two days a week should be enough. :D**

* * *

"What's the date today?" I asked the next morning – only Light and Ryuuzaki were up so far.

"It's July twenty-sixth," Light replied, not looking away from the computer.

"Thanks." _Okay… it's July, soon to be August. That means I have about… three months until L dies, and two months until they figure out Yotsuba is involved. I can do this._ I sat at one of the chairs, and pressed a button to turn on the computer. _I will find a way to do this…. I looked at the manga this morning, –_ I'd done it by looking through it while it was still in the bag so the cameras couldn't see – _so I know that in nine days, Higuchi will decide to start killing off people whose deaths benefit Yotsuba. Within these nine days, I can try to start translating this. Actually, I could take a little longer, considering I have until October…. I'll wait a while, then, so I don't seem like I know the information beforehand. And finally, I can look up Yotsuba, and 'discover' they're supported by Kira! Yay!_

A whole bunch of other factors appeared in my head. _But if I figure it out too early, then when we decide Yotsuba is worthy of investigation, Matsuda won't be coincidentally near the Yotsuba building during Misa's rehearsal…. So a whole new plan would have to be executed because Matsuda wouldn't mess things up. And I don't like unpredictable things. So… that means that if I want to 'discover' anything, then I have to do it either right before or at the same time as Light. Hmm… I guess that means that I have to calculate the approximate time Light finds out Yotsuba's involved with the manga tonight…. Today I can only work on finding a trustworthy translator…._

_Oh, Natalie, look on the bright side of things, _I thought. _Think about it: your nieces and your best friend are now living here too. Plus, we're saving L. And that is very awesome._ I frowned. _And I haven't had breakfast yet. _I got up, then grabbed a plain glazed donut from the serving cart thing that Watari always brought, which held a variety of sweets. I also grabbed a napkin. I then sat down, and proceeded to eat it as Soichiro appeared out of the elevator. Needless to say, the donut was quite yummy. Throughout my eating, Matsuda also came down with a cup of coffee, and sat on the couch in the room.

When I finished, I wiped my fingers on the napkin. The napkin stuck to my fingers, but I managed to get it off to wipe my fingers again. When the stickiness did not disappear, I began frantically wiping my hands on the napkin. "Stih…. Sticky…," I muttered, cringing. Sticky was one of the few things I despised. "I…dislike… _sticky_…." I looked around for some savior for my stickified hands, finding nothing that could possibly make them un-sticky. "Sticky… sticky…_ sticky_…," I said in an undertone. "Ryuuzaki?" I asked hastily. "Where is somewhere I can wash my hands?"

"In a bathroom…," he replied, sounding… well, not that happy. He wasn't kidding when he said he lacked motivation. He was kinda depressing to be around. "Why?"

"My hands—are—_sticky!_" I cried out in dismay. "I-is there a bathroom down here?"

"Yes."

"Where is it!"

"I know there's one in the lobby area; the public entrance," said Light.

Now even Soichiro and Matsuda were looking at me. Great. I was drawing attention to myself. "'Kay thanks!" I rushed out to where that was, then glanced around, found the door to the bathroom, and made my way quickly in, saying with rising hysteria, "Sticky… _sticky_, I—_dislike—STICKY…._" Yes. I'm well aware I overreact to stickiness, but, for one thing, I've always been dramatic. And for another, I just _really _hated stickiness.

…Is it just me, or does '_sticky_' not sound like a word anymore?

When I had ridded myself of the horrible thing known as stickiness, I walked back into the room, where Matsuda, L, and Soichiro watched me enter and go back to my seat. Kinda awkward for me. Once I sat down, I looked around at the people gazing at me, then said simply, "What? I don't like sticky!"

The rest of the day was spent working on translating things. First, I had to figure out how to get to the internet (I did this on my own, although it would have taken less time if I had asked someone). Once I managed to get on the internet, I typed in the web address for Google in hopes of using Google Translate. After all, it worked alright if you were using it to translate it back into your own language. However, though I looked for the button that would lead me to the Japanese version of Google Translate, it appeared to be that Google Translate didn't exist yet. "What year _is _this?" I muttered. _I never _did _figure out whether this world was based on the anime or the manga…._

"It is 2004," replied L absently, "though it makes me wonder how you don't know that…."

"It's morning, what can I say?" was my response (despite the fact I was perfectly awake), then I hastily returned to my work. _Note to self: don't talk to self. …Aloud._

So, I began to work on finding a way to translate, making occasional notes on characters I'd found the meaning of, and all the while hoping to find some sort of translator. _Well, I'm hoping to have a machine do the work for me, but…. If I have to, I'll decipher documents one word at a time… I'm not asking for help, either…. I will benefit the investigation on my own; I will prove my worth!_ And thus, I worked until early morning, then woke up at five thirty the next day to continue working. The routine repeated, and I continued staying up late and getting up early for the next week and a half or so. There had been a night somewhere within this amount of time that I recognized when Light found out Yotsuba was involved. It was on October first. (Figuring this out involved simply looking at the timeline in _How to Read 13_, actually….)

After this week and a half passed, and the day slipped into afternoon, I was half-asleep. Well, I was awake enough to be considered awake, and my eyes were wide open, but my mind would not stay focused. "Hey Matsuda?" I asked.

"Hm?" he replied, walking over to where I was.

"Do you know of a program that has… that has, um, access to any data of the police, the public, and the secret services across the world?" I asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do." He showed me how to access it, and I smiled at him.

"Thanks," I said, then proceeded to use the program. Light asked about the program soon after I did, having heard the conversation, and Matsuda showed it to him, too.

As the day wore on, my concentration kept wandering. My brain simply could not focus. In my own words, my brain had turned to mush. My brain was shutting down. My brain was _not working_. You see, my brain had a tendency to not work when I needed sleep. Sometimes I would get to a state I called Sleep Drunk, where I'd believe nearly anything someone said, and I did not think before acting, instead acting mostly on impulse. It made me seem quite stupid, to be honest. Luckily, I did not reach this stage of tiredness while with the Kira investigation team. Thank goodness, too, 'cause I would find it embarrassing afterward.

"My brain… is not working," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Oh brain, why aren't you working?"

"Is it because you haven't had enough sleep?" asked Light, turning his spinny-chair to look at me.

"Eh?" I asked, turning my own spinny-chair a little bit. "Oh, probably…. Something like that…."

"Try sugar," suggested L. Needless to say, he was still depressing to be around. "Sugar keeps the mind working even when one has not slept for days…."

"Well, sugar doesn't affect me," I replied. "I don't get energy from sugar like most kids…. Especially Sam, she gets hyper off of sugar… so does Sierra, actually…."

"Sam and Sierra?" asked Light.

I put my hand to my forehead and shook my head. "Sayuri and Yui, I mean."

"I highly doubt you're not affected by sugar," said L. "Everyone is affected by it; it's a natural bodily function."

"It just doesn't give me energy… or make me hyper, that's all."

"Perhaps you have a high metabolism…." He spun around in his chair and clicked a button. "Watari?"

"Yes?" answered Watari.

"Can you get a cup of Espresso and a Special Bundt Cake?"

I blinked. "Oh, Ryuuzaki, you don't need to—"

"Natsumi, you need to be alert."

"I'll bring it to you directly, then," said Watari, then closed the connection.

"Bun cake?" I asked confusedly. "What is that, anyway?"

"It's Bundt Cake, Natsumi."

"Oh… sorry…. What's, um, Bundt Cake?"

"It is a cake in the shape of a ring, made in a Bundt pan, which is where it got its name."

"Alright…. What's a _Special _Bundt Cake?"

"It is a cake I found the recipe for while in Germany; I was doing a case involving the Hinterkaifeck murders. Of course, I was only ten at the time and therefore I didn't get food as I do now. There had been a shop there, where Watari had gotten me a Bundt Cake named 'Favorite Bundt Cake,' which I liked in particular among the other German pastries and sweets, as the cook had changed the traditional recipe considerably. I asked for the recipe for later use, and Watari, of course, received it from the shop owner. Later on, I adapted it to suit my needs for when I was especially low on energy. This _special _I use only when I really need it. That is what it is."

"What did you do to it?"

"Normally the food I get is made beforehand, but this cake is special, as I have it home-cooked, and not with the normal yellow cake mix it would normally use. In replacement of this cake mix is the ingredients for Yellow Pound Cake. I also had the water in the ingredients switched with espresso. This cake is perfect for getting energy levels up, especially when one has a high metabolism, like you."

"…You really know your sweets, huh?"

"Well, I have traveled around the world, and each place has its own variety of sweets. So yes, you can say I have a bit of knowledge concerning worldwide sugary foods."

"But… wait… I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I don't really like the taste of coffee."

"Natsumi, have you ever tried putting sugar in coffee?"

"…No…."

"Then I can assure you it tastes much better when sugar is added."

For the record, if I had heard the conversation with more awake ears, I would have laughed. The conversation had… a very _interesting _tone about it. I was half asleep, my speech was slurred and sleepy, and I only sounded vaguely interested, despite my being quite interested. L, on the other hand, was speaking in a monotonous tone occasionally broken by a sigh within a pause; probably out of vague annoyance at my responses. His speech was flat, but with a hint of unhappiness layered within it. It sounded for all the world like two people who wanted to be doing anything but talking to one another. On later inspection, I found that amusing.

But this wasn't later, so at the moment I was tiredly musing over what had just happened. As I mused, my thoughts wandered, and random images began popping up. Pollen, then L gasping dramatically, then a cartoonish image of someone being dragged away by a wheelbarrow…. Once I realized my brain was feeding me flashes of random pictures, I groaned. "Oh, no… I don't _wanna_ be Sleep Drunk." Seeing those random images (almost like I was dreaming while awake) was the first sign that Sleep Drunkenness was on its way.

"…What is _Sleep Drunk_?" asked Aizawa quizzically.

"Oh, never mind…."

Not long after, Watari carted in a very chocolaty-looking Bundt cake with a carafe of what was probably Espresso coffee, along with a few plates and a few fancy coffee cups. …Then Watari left. He never stayed long... L got me – and himself – a slice of the cake, and poured himself and I a cup of coffee, then proceeding to fill his cup with sugar cubes.

I blinked at my highly-caffeinated meal and copied L, taking some sugar cubes and plopping them into my own cup. When I felt I had put in enough, I took one of the small spoons and stirred the coffee until I couldn't feel sugar on the bottom anymore. I then took a hesitant sip. _Hey_, I thought in mild surprise, _it doesn't taste too bad._ I then took a fork and prodded the Bundt cake. I brought it up to my mouth slowly and, when it reached my mouth, the only way I can describe it is that the taste exploded across my tongue. It's like when you wake up in the morning then have the first bite of a very flavorful breakfast, or when you haven't opened your mouth in a while and then abruptly introduce your tongue to something particularly sweet or sour. _You know, _I noted, _this tastes really good…. Maybe I should ask L for the recipe._

Before I knew it, my plate was free of all but crumbs, and my cup had been drained save for a few drops. I was tempted to get more cake, but honestly I was full and therefore there was no real need to get another slice. And then… it hit me. No, I do not speak of a sugar rush, for of course I never have and never will get one. No, I did not hit upon some miraculous revelation like what the meaning of life was or anything like that. No, I wasn't suddenly enlightened as to something I did not know before, nor did I somehow obtain some power that only someone in a fanfiction could acquire. No, what hit me was something a bit different.

What hit me was the realization that the great L had given me cake.

And it made me laugh.

"…What's so funny?" asked Matsuda.

"Oh… oh nothing…. Oh jeez…." It then hit me all over again that it must be real, and the shadows came back to restore reality to this world. Then I was hit with the realization that I was in an _anime, _and that I was interacting with some of my favorite characters. That all of this time that I'd spent thinking, 'Oh, how I wish I could meet the characters,' was not in vain, because here I was, speaking with and interacting with people like L and Light and Matsuda. And the fact that they were real and probably wondering why the hell I was laughing made me laugh harder.

"Natsumi," L asked dully, "what are you laughing at?"

"Y-you… and them… are… are…. Oh, how do I put this without sounding stupid? Oh well! I sound stupid all the time anyway! 'Is that a _bird_?' My gosh, Natalie, of course it's a bird!" This brought on another bought of laughter. (The 'Is that a bird?' thing was an actual event that I could, perhaps, explain later if it's brought up. Until then, ignore it, I guess.) And then I was hit with the realization that Light was all innocent and stuff now. …I was being hit with a lot, wasn't I?

I looked around. "Oh… oh, I'm the only one laughing…. Now I feel awkward and I'm probably gonna look back on this tomorrow and think about how stupid I was but I don't care now because I'm awesome like that and oh my Light I just realized that we're—" I broke off for a second, correcting in my head what I would say "—going to catch Kira soon because we're all just that awesome and then we'll all be happy and I'm going to shut up now."

I tried to stay quiet and do my research, I really did, but I couldn't concentrate. Now, I had _too _much energy, and this caused my attention span to lessen. Plus, I found it hard to stay quiet what with all the random things popping into my head. "Oh my Light—I mean god," I mumbled.

"What is it, Natsumi?" asked L.

"Um… nothing… just a weird" – I started to giggle – "image involving… a person…."

"Who?" asked Matsuda.

"A dude whose name is Light Yagami, you probably know him considering he's sitting _right there_." I gestured to Light exaggeratedly. "Right—over—_there_. He was making one of those L cakes – you know, the ones with the strawberries – and suddenly he had this big bushy beard and he became a pirate that made cake and his name was Light Weirdbeard."

"…Alright…," commented Matsuda. That was probably _not _what he was expecting.

I was hit with yet another thing: _If I'm from another world, _I realized, _then that means I'm an _alien! "Oh my god, guys, I'm an alien!" I cried. My voice started rising in pitch as I went on. "I'm an alien who serves pocky! Wait, pocky scares me…. I don't even know where that came from…. Oh my gosh – _pizza pie!_ It's a pizza, and a pie, at the _same time!_ I feel the urge to dance right now. But I hate dancing! Oh my god guys, there's something wrong with me!" I cried, spinning my chair around to stare at the other occupants of the room. "Say… I feel like stroking my invisible beard! _You need some Pine-Sol, baby!_ Oh, aha, I loved that…. Ooh, ooh, this one's for Ryuk—I mean Light's great grandfather whom he never met! _III like tooo eat, eat- _Oh come on, no fair, no one's singing with me. Where's Misa? She can sing! _But she is not involved._ Ooh I like pei! It's pie, but pronounced _pei_! _Pain is screaming loud in my brain!_ Ooh, did someone say _murder?_ Oh, wait, that's obvious, this _is _a murder mystery! My god, I feel like spazzing but that would be weird considering all of you are staring at me – _why are you staring at me?_"

"You're acting very hyperactive," replied L flatly in response. "It's quite distracting."

"I thought she said she wasn't affected by sugar," said Aizawa, putting his hand to his head as though he had a headache, which he probably did.

"I'm pretty sure Natsumi is having a sugar rush…," said Light.

"Nope! Sugar doesn't affect me!" I proclaimed proudly.

There was a long pause. Light and L glanced at one another. "Then what is causing your hyperactivity?" asked Light.

"I'm just excited as all," I replied. "That's all there is to it!"

"…Right….," said Matsuda. Aizawa looked at me quizzically, Matsuda gave a weak smile, and Light and L looked completely unconvinced.

"Although… me being excited makes it hard to concentrate," I commented. I whirled in my chair to face the computer. "Mission impossible!" I started humming (not really humming, but…) the _Mission Impossible_ theme song.

"You know what?" said Aizawa. "She is really… annoying. More annoying than you, Matsuda."

"…I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or as an insult," said Matsuda.

"Does anyone know any way to calm her down?" asked Aizawa.

"You're actually very lucky!" I laughed. "If I wasn't keeping myself in check, I may be literally bouncing off the walls! Oh, no, that was my brother…." I burst into laughter. "Wow, the term 'hunky dory' just popped into my head, and I don't even know what that means! What does it mean? I don't know what it means!"

"Well, time would make her energy levels ebb…," said L. "…or, of course, you could make her sit as I do…."

"How would that help?" asked Light, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well, sitting as I do increases the level of sugar being used by the body, therefore preventing things such as sugar rushes."

"So that's how Ryuuzaki does it!" Matsuda commented.

"Well then, Natsumi, sit like Ryuuzaki," said Aizawa.

"Oh, um… alright," I said. "But it makes me feel weird and I'm betting that if your not used to it your ankles hurt after a while so I won't be able to keep it for long so don't get mad at me if I, like, fall over or something because L just plain has awesome… balance and…. Huh." There was a pause. "Well, that's great, now I feel like an idiot," I said, then turned around, smiling weakly. "Um, sorry?"

The next day, I went around giving a quick apology to everyone. To Aizawa for being annoying, to Matsuda and Soichiro for interrupting their work, and so on. "I feel like an idiot 'cause I know I should have connected all the times I've been hyper to whenever I had caffeine…," I said to L sheepishly. "I guess it's just because whenever I had something caffeinated, it was usually while I was excited too, so… sorry…."

"It's alright," he sighed. "Really, you're making such a big deal out of this…."

"Yeah, 'cause I feel it's right to apologize, and then there's the fact I find it a bit embarrassing…." Then, I turned to Light. "I won't be long for this one," I said quickly, and he turned, "'cause really I'd like to apologize for disrupting your focus which I'm technically doing right now which is why I'm making it quick. So… yeah. Sorry." I then sat in my seat, looking over my notes of characters. Figuring out whether there were any letters or letter combinations missing.

"I find it odd, though," said Light to me, "that ever since I was put into custody, we haven't had any real conversations…. I guess the strangest part is the fact I can't remember most of what our conversations were about before…."

"You don't need to remember," I replied. "Maybe we can talk again after we catch Kira."

"Maybe," he replied with a smile, and we both went to work. I had to re-ask Matsuda how to reach that program, of course, as I couldn't remember how to access it, but then I began slowly but surely researching my way to catching Higuchi.

* * *

Time passed. My eyes reverted back to seeing cartoon-y-ness soon after that caffeine incident. Every so often, I would ask for the date. Months passed considerably quickly. Before I knew it, there came a day when I asked a date, and Light replied, "September twenty-ninth." This told me to do two things. First of all, I knew I needed to tell Sam happy birthday, as it was her birthday that day. Second of all, it was this day that I began looking up Yotsuba graphs, then finding heart attack-caused deaths that benefited Yotsuba, then finally finding all deaths that benefited Yotsuba. Then I went to work on translating it all so I knew what I was talking about. That night, I researched in the manga the gist of what I was supposed to say. Then, the next day, on September 30, I told L my 'discovery.'

"Hey… Ryuuzaki?" I asked. "I know you're all depressed and lack motivation, but… I think I've got something." He rolled his chair towards me, looking over my shoulder to see the screen. "Well… I'm pretty sure you get what you're seeing here… but I'll say it anyway. Isn't it, um, unbalanced? Yotsuba here has a sudden growth, but the other two companies are in decline…."

"Natsumi… if this is connected to Kira, then Kira's real intention is not necessarily to punish criminals but something else…."

"My guess is he's just using a nice, moral front for support, when really he's greedily killing for his own benefit." Light had joined us now, as had Matsuda.

"Once, Light mentioned how adults would use the power for their own gain, and this might be the case…," said L. "...But supposing both Kira and the second Kira were both active at once, it's possible that this Kira is not the one punishing criminals…. It's impressive, though, digging this one up."

"Um, thanks, but Matsuda helped too." _Actually, Light did as well, but I can't say that…._

"Yeah," Matsuda came in.

"It's all thanks to that program he showed me that allows access to all data from the police, the public, and all sorts of secret organizations throughout the world. It's really cool, actually, and _very _useful. At first, I wasn't all too sure where to start, but I figured going back to the beginning would work. You know, first verifying the theory Kira was in Japan."

_That's exactly what I did._

I glanced at Light. I'd forgotten yet again that I could hear his thoughts. I sometimes wondered why I could only hear his and not anyone else's…. Or, at least, why I'd only heard his so far. "Most of the criminals Kira killed were Japanese, so it was probably the Japanese media that gave him the information needed. Then there's also the presumption that not all heart attacks were caused by Kira, since it is something that happens occasionally. So, I traced all the deaths caused by heart attacks, including non-criminals, using the program Matsuda showed me. Without the program, it would have taken forever…."

"And that's where I'm useful, Ryuuzaki," said Matsuda happily.

"I was going to scan the deaths of the past five months, examining every detail, but these three caught my eye. If it were only two, then I would have let it pass, but what a difference one number can make." I clicked something, then glanced at my translation notes. "Roppei Tamiya, the manager of the developmental planning department of Sekimaru-corp; Kouji Aoi, the vice-director of the system integration division of Aoi Industry; Takeyoshi Marita, the ex-chairman of the Yotsuba group. All three of them used to be very important in companies that are major enough to represent Japan, and all three of them died of heart attacks, see?" I clicked a button to go back to the graph. "So, I researched more on the companies – Sekimaru, Aoi, and Yotsuba – and the price of Yotsuba's share is rising while the other two's are going down."

"And you searched for any kind of deaths related to those companies…," said L, and I nodded.

"And look." I brought up a list of deaths related. "Thirteen convenient losses for the Yotsuba company over the past three months, and next to none were good for the other companies. All of the deaths were accidental or by illness, though, except for the three heart attacks and a suicide. And this week, another two were punished by Kira for bribery."

"It was also about three months ago I imprisoned Yagami and the killings stopped temporarily, then started again," added L. "Something isn't right…."

I nodded again. "I think that Kira must be supporting Yotsuba," I said. "So… what do you think?"

"Well, I agree with the theory," said Light.

"But, then that means that Kira…," said L, trailing off.

"Yeah," I said. "It means Kira can kill with more than just heart attacks."

* * *

**Well, I thought that was a rather amusing chapter. :D And the Yotsuba arc is beginning... Operation 'Save L' will soon come into play...**

**Oh, boy. :3**

_**Fun Fact**_**: The Hinterkaifeck murders in Germany is a real, unsolved case. I do my research~**

**Review? For the children...!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Ah... Monday. My last Monday of school - _yes!_**

**_..._Anyway, time for my beloved anonymous reviewers~**

_**Justmeagain123**_**: **Well, I'm glad you like it! And the sad thing is, I actually do act like that with caffeine... xD Yeah, Sam is awesome, too, and it's cool that you can connect to her character. She's very... likeable. :D And she's actually the next one to get a big part in this story~

**...Yeah. And also, people noticed that I have a lot of canon scenes, and I'm afraid that may get a bit dull. I'd just like to say here that I can assure you that, right after the whole 'Save L' plan goes down, a lot more original scenes will come in for sure.**

**Also, in this chapter, I'm just kinda worried that the flow is off... Oh well, hope you don't notice it. Enjoy the long chapter~**

* * *

_Ah, _I thought, _it's back to the action. And soon, my plan will take place, and this world will be rid of Kira._ We had just discussed with Aizawa the theory I had brought up, and people were beginning to do their own thing while we waited for Soichiro to arrive. Aizawa went to research the organizational background of the Yotsuba Company, Light went to try and hack into Yotsuba's computer network, and Matsuda and I… were unsure of what to do next.

Well, while the task force puttered around, finally back to work (Yes, finally! A lead!), Anna, Sierra, and Sam were still left in the room somewhere above us with nothing to do. "When are we getting involved again?" Anna asked dully, idly playing with a pen, taking it apart and putting it back together. "I'm bored. Really bored."

"Eh… I know…," Sierra responded with a little whine.

"D'ya think they're making any progress yet?" Sam mused aloud, brushing off the eraser shavings from her drawing of L. "I hope so."

"I wonder if we'll have another conversation with L before this whole plan goes down," Sierra remarked.

"We'd better," Anna huffed. "We only saw L that one time, and it wasn't exactly a conversation. It's stupid."

"What do you say we go down there, right now, and yell at all of them that Higuchi's Kira?" suggested Sam. "Can we do that?"

"Um… no… I don't think so…," Sierra responded, scratching the back of her head.

"Why _not?_" Anna protested, crossing her arms. "I want to do _something_. Can I go down and hug Matsuda, at least? Or Light?"

Sam cocked an eyebrow at the mention of hugging Light, as if to ask why the hell she would _want _to in the first place.

Sierra hesitated. "…No… I don't think we should go down there at all…."

"Can we find Misa?" Anna asked, perking up at the thought.

Sam grimaced. "_Why?_"

"Because… Misa's nice…. And she's funner than just sitting _here _all day!" Anna answered indignantly.

"I guess…," Sam mumbled, then sighed, laying back on the bed and setting her sketch pad beside her. "You know, I keep getting this horrible feeling that this plan isn't going to work."

"Of _course_ it'll work!" Anna snapped.

"I know," Sam said, looking at the seven-year-old, "but it's just a feeling." A pause. "…I really want to go down there."

"I think we all do," Sierra muttered, running her hand through her hair.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in!" Sam called, not shifting position, and Watari opened the door and pushed in a cart of food, namely sweets.

"Hi, Watari," Anna grinned, jumping up to snatch a donut from the cart.

Watari looked down at her as Sierra and Sam stirred, getting to their feet to get the sweets while they could. "Watari?" Watari repeated. "Who ever told you I was Watari?"

Watari had come in every so often the past months that they had lived there, and Sierra had told them not to call him Watari, because they weren't supposed to know that was who he was. So he'd come in, and they'd take some sweets, being polite and all that. In their boredom, they'd actually convinced him more than once to stay awhile, and because of that, they were rather well acquainted. Despite this, though, he had told them that he was only an old man that served the food and occasionally helped with the case, nothing more. They supposedly didn't know he was Watari. But Anna had forgotten about this, unfortunately.

"Oh," said Anna nervously. "I didn't mean—I mean, you—remind me of him…?"

"Who else would be serving food in L's headquarters?" Sam asked, covering for her. "I mean, they always say it's never right to assume, but whatever."

"_Are_ you Watari, then?" Sierra squeaked.

"No," Watari smiled.

"Aw…," Sierra sighed. _Too bad he won't tell us who he is…, _she thought.

"Mr. sweets-man," Anna implored, "could you please stay?"

"We're bored," Sam told him dully.

Sierra gasped. "_Yeah! _Stay here for a while!"

"I don't think I can," Watari told the three regretfully. "The Kira task force has hit upon a lead, and I can't be off somewhere else when they need me."

"They did?" Sierra asked excitedly.

"Yes. Things may actually progress now," Watari informed her.

"Still!" Anna insisted.

"Come on!" Sam cried.

"No, no… I don't think so," he refused apologetically. "Not this time."

"_Please?_" Anna pleaded, giving him her puppy dog eyes.

He chuckled and said, "I do love children, but I'm afraid that I've become impervious to that look."

"Psh, children?" scoffed Sam. "I'm fourteen!"

"Of course," Watari smiled. There was a pause. "I suppose I could stay for a little while…."

"Yay!" Sierra squeaked, glomping him.

And when I came back to the room to turn in for the night, I found the four of them still there, all playing a game of cards together. "You know," said Sam, throwing down a card, "I _respect _you. Just so you know. You're awesome."

"Yeah," Anna beamed, and Sierra squeaked in agreement. Sierra squeaks a lot….

"Awesome, am I?" asked Watari, then looked up to see me standing at the door. He stood. "Ah, Miss Matsuo." He bowed slightly. "I apologize for intruding, but I happened to be invited in. I couldn't refuse."

Anna giggled, and I grinned. "No," I responded. "I'm sure they need more fun in this private room they can't leave. I bet they're bored as heck, just sitting around all day."

He smiled politely. "I'm sure that's so. I should be leaving now." And Watari left, taking his cart along with him. I gazed after him, all the while thinking about how happy I was that I could save him….

* * *

Once Soichiro and Mogi got back to the building the next day, it was discovered the police had yielded to Kira, and those who continued the investigation would lose their jobs, and then there was that whole scene where Watari told everyone they had a life benefit but L was testing them and Aizawa got mad and left the force. So… it was just the five of us after that: me, Light, L, Matsuda, Soichiro, and Mogi. Then there were six if you counted Watari. There were only four computers, though, which was pretty unfortunate, but luckily L was able to have a laptop with most of the same functions handy. Matsuda ended up with this laptop, much to his disappointment. Two days passed, and more deaths were discovered, and Soichiro found that most of the deaths had happened on weekends, particularly Fridays. Watari, meanwhile, would visit my three lonely friends once a day, but by this time he could never stay very long, what with the case actually moving forward.

Three more days, and Weddy the burglar and Aiber the con artist were introduced to the investigation. Before I knew it, we were planning a plan involving secrecy and stuff that I really did not remember from the manga or anime. _Did I figure it out too early? _I thought worriedly. _Has everything from here on been slightly altered? I really hope it wasn't…._

"We must investigate carefully so as not to be found out," L explained. "Moreover, we must catch that person in such a way that we have concrete proof of the person having the power and proof of them killing people. And from now, don't move on your own or deviate from the plan. In order to escape notice, Aiber and Weddy—"

"…Ryuuzaki," Watari interrupted.

"What is it, Watari?"

"Matsuda has sent out the distress signal from his belt."

I caught myself from sighing in relief. For a second there I thought I was in trouble. Just think about it… a whole new plan would mean a whole new way of catching Higuchi… and if that were to happen, then I'd have to improvise if I wanted to keep Light away from the notebook. No, I didn't trust that plan….

"…From where?" asked L with a tone and expression that made me amused. He seemed a _little bit _annoyed.

"Well, it appears to be from inside the Yotsuba Tokyo Main Office…."

"Wh-what is he doing?" asked Soichiro. "…What if he got caught…?"

"Then he'd be caught," I shrugged. "And then they'd be out to kill him, and we'd have to save him."

"No… the distress signal probably means he already got caught," said Light.

"If that's true," sighed Aiber, "then he will probably be killed."

"You're so positive," I remarked. I was starting to talk more, regardless of the fact no one paid any mind to what I said unless it actually held worth. I blame my age. …And my tendency to not listen, which probably didn't help with the way people like Aizawa and L and Mogi thought of me.

"Please forget everything I said up to now…," said L, sounding (and looking) very irritated. "We need to rethink our strategy…. ...Matsuda, you idiot…."

I sighed. "Something tells me this new plan will involve extreme things like falling off of buildings."

Everyone glanced at me, then continued with their conversation. "Matsuda is supposed to be keeping an eye on Amane," said Soichiro. "Does that mean she's with him in the Yotsuba building?"

"I don't think the film director would let her leave, so I doubt it," I replied.

"Well, we can't tell for sure when it comes to Matsuda…," said Light.

"The only items Matsuda is supposed to have on him when he goes out are the identifications of Taro Matsui as the manager of Misa Amane, am I correct?' asked L.

"Mm-hm," I responded with a nod.

"Yes," said Soichiro. "I told him to stick to it strictly."

"Yagami, please make a call to the mobile of manager Matsui."

"…Okay."

"Ryuuzaki," said Light, "isn't that a bit risky?"

"Sure," I answered, "but I'm sure L knows what he's doing."

"Yes," agreed L, "I'll play my cards right." There was a pause as we waited for Matsuda to answer. "Yo, Matsui, it's me, Asahi," said L.

My hands flew to my mouth to stop from laughing. _He sounds… _hilarious_..._

"How ya doin' my man? …Er, are you indoors? You at home? …You alone, man?" L covered the speaker. "Matsuda is not with Amane, he is at Yotsuba on his own," he told us. "Hey," he said into the phone, "wanna hit the bars tonight? …Why not? Financial situation in a tight spot again?" There was a pause, and he covered the speaker again. "Matsuda is in a tight spot," he told us, then returned to the phone. "Oh well, maybe some other time then. See ya 'round." He closed the phone and gave it back to Soichiro.

"For the record, Ryuuzaki," I said, "you're awesome at acting. Or at least speaking."

"Thank you. Light, could you make a call to Misa's private mobile?"

"Alright." Light called her, then said, "No good, it's on the answering service. She must still be in the middle of shooting. …Misa, it's me. Please call me back as soon as you can. I'll have my cell switched on for you." He closed his phone.

"What should we do, Ryuuzaki?" asked Soichiro. "Matsuda is on his own at Yotsuba and the way he sounded on the phone, someone must have been with him, listening to the conversation. The situation he's in isn't good."

"Look on the bright side!" I cried. "If Matsuda dies, then our suspicions on Yotsuba are confirmed. If not, then we just saved a life!"

There was a pause, where everyone just sorta looked at me oddly.

"…That is true...," L conceded, breaking the silence. "If we try to make our move, they might be alerted. For the time being we'll stand by and see what happens."

"…Y…yes, that seems to be our only choice…," agreed Soichiro.

* * *

Well, Matsuda did the whole 'fall off the building and pretend to die' thing, and we were able to watch the group's secret meetings. The gist of what was happening in my head was simple: one, I was excited to know the Higuchi chase was coming up. Two, I was bored because I'd never liked the Yotsuba group. Three, I noted that everything seemed to go very fast after a few months of nothing.

The poor three forgotten ones were still living in a time of great slowness. Although, Sam did finally convince the others to get out of that stupid room to explore. "I wanna find Misa," said Anna, pulling on Sam's sleeve. "Do you think we'll find Misa?"

"Uh… I hope not…," Sam replied.

"Considering they're _private _rooms, and we shouldn't technically leave them… we probably _won't _be seeing Misa," said Sierra.

Sam sighed. "Well, that sounds good."

"Race you to the end of the hallway!" Anna yelped, then took off.

"Hey!" Sierra cried, then ran after her. Sam laughed.

Thank God no one caught them running around the headquarters. I wouldn't want to be kicked out, honestly…. Looking back, though, I feel kinda bad for these three, living through months of boredom before their part in this finally came into play, one by one….

But we're not there yet, so let us carry on.

* * *

"Actually," said L, plopping a cube of sugar into his tea. "I'm going to pursue Kira on my own."

_Damn it, _I thought, _I zoned out again. We're finally back in action, and all I can do is zone out again! What good it that? If I zone out at a vital moment… that'd be disastrous! I have to exercise my attention span…. I need to learn to concentrate. I've always been that sort of person, detached from reality, but now I have to be as connected to it as possible! If not, the results would be horrible. Just think, if I, say, zoned out during gunfire, I could very well get shot, or worse – someone would protect me and they would lose their life! That'd be horrible…._

"However," said Soichiro, "if there is a possibility of being able to stop it, we should do what we can to prevent the murders before they happen."

…_I just zoned out, _I thought to myself. _Fail, Natalie._

"Yes, I believe Mr. Yagami's way of thinking is the most correct," L agreed.

_You know, _I thought, _maybe it wouldn't be all that bad to zone out right now. I don't really need to be involved, so…. But then again, it's good to practice, 'cause then if I'm not paying attention at the wrong time, well, that'd be very bad in a bad way._

…_So shut the hell up and listen, Natalie!_

"…Then what I think is that we should conclude this with those seven," said L, and got to his feet. "I am against the arrest of those seven, so, if you are to do it, then it is Mr. Yagami's responsibility." He began walking away towards the elevator, pulling Light along with him. "I will pursue Kira on my own. The time limit is one month…. It all depends on whichever side is faster."

_Oh, shoot. I don't want to be stuck here._

"R…Ryuuzaki," said Light, who was currently being pulled along.

"Um, Ryuuzaki?" I asked hesitantly. Matsuda and Soichiro looked at me. At least, I was pretty sure this was the right time to talk. Right? I'd zoned out, I wasn't so sure….

"Yes, Natsumi?" he asked, stopping abruptly and turning to look at me. Light also looked back.

"Would… would you mind some help? I mean, I know you probably want to work alone, but… I take your side, and want to help."

He looked up the ceiling, as if to think. "…No thank you, Natsumi," he said eventually. "You stay here." And then he continued walking.

I heaved a sigh. Well, that was great. So much for staying where the action was, where I _knew _what was going on. I looked around, feeling a little awkward. "So, guys…."

"It's okay, Natsumi," said Matsuda. "I was on L's side too." He paused. "Oh, um, no offense, Chief…."

Soichiro grunted, and we got to work. And I had to actually pay attention. Yay…. Hey, that didn't matter, really, though, right? After all, soon we'd be chasing Higuchi, and the moment that came, I would save L. I looked forward to that moment very much.

And so, L's plan was… well, planned, and soon was put to action since Soichiro's plan didn't work out as well as he'd hoped. "Matsuda," I said flatly to the pacing man, "calm down. Misa's fine." I took a sip of tea. Normally, I didn't like tea, but apparently some things are much more edible with sugar added. I learned this from L, obviously….

"But she's late!" Matsuda cried.

Soichiro and L were arguing again, meanwhile.

"Late, sure. I've been late for a lot of things," I said. "But Matsuda, you should be looking on the bright side. It's most likely, as Ryuuzaki said, that the group is asking a lot of questions. Or perhaps one of the group was late, therefore causing her to be late. Or maybe she and Mogi have come across traffic."

"But…."

"Matsuda, go to your computer and work, please…."

"I wonder, though, how things are going…. Natsumi, she's in a room that might have Kira in it; she really is in danger, here…. The Chief and Light had a point—"

"Misa's back," I commented. Then my expressionless demeanor was broken when I choked on my tea.

"Phew…," Misa sighed, stretching, as she walked in with Mogi. "So tired!"

"H—hey—Misa," I coughed.

"Jeez, Natsumi, are you alright?"

"Just fine…."

"Ryuuzaki," said Mogi, "Yotsuba agreed to take Misa on board for their adverts and promotions."

"How did it go, MisaMisa?" asked Matsuda.

_Let's see here… she acted awesomely, she re-met Rem, and she figured out who Kira was. I'd say it went pretty well. _I consoled myself that it was alright if I thought like this because it was like replying to them instead of just plain out zoning.

"What do you mean, 'how?'" Misa replied.

"I mean, what did they ask you? Did any of them act suspiciously?"

"I only report that kind of information to my teammates, Light and Ryuuzaki."

"Well, we all agreed to investigate under Ryuuzaki as one team a few minutes ago," Matsuda told her.

_Yes, _I thought_, and thank goodness for that. I'm back in the realm of knowing what the hell is going on._

"Oh," said Misa, "well then, I let them have my mobile number and e-mail address, and three out of the seven have already contacted me privately, asking me out."

"What?" Matsuda yelped.

"Now I'll reply to those three and investigate them closely. Just as we planned, huh?"

"Looks like that plan has been cancelled, by the way," L came in.

Misa responded by angrily pulling at L's hair. "What?" she cried. "Why the hell not? You better be kidding!"

"It… it was not my idea…."

Light grabbed her hand to stop her. "This plan might put you in danger, Misa."

I sighed. _Just let the plan happen so she can get Higuchi to confess and we can do the whole chase scene, mmkay? _Yes, I was beginning to get impatient. Even _I _was getting impatient with all this waiting, especially since I already knew what would happen….

"I'm not telling you to turn down the TV-ad job, but from now on you will deny the story you told them, that you were the second Kira and were restrained by L. Mr. Mogi will be acting as your bodyguard, and you work just as a model."

Misa frowned, then said, "That's okay, if Light says so."

_Hm, you'd think she'd argue…. Oh, right, she's planning to do something on her own. I think. Yeah._

"Well," Misa continued, turning away from us, "Misa is tired and has an early location tomorrow. I'm off to bed."

"Good night," I called.

"G'night! Light," she said sweetly from the door, "won't you sleep with me?"

…_No comment._

"…Why are you saying that, Misa?" asked Light.

"I know, after we catch Kira, right? Don't be shy, Light!" she called, then left.

"Yes, please don't be shy, Light," said L, bringing a cup of tea to his mouth.

_Ha._

"I'm not being shy," Light frowned.

"Don't be so serious about it, either."

I cocked an eyebrow, trying hard not to smile. It wasn't long, though, until it was time for me to turn in for the night. The moment I reached my room I checked the manga to make sure what was going on. _Oh my god, in the next chapter the chase is on!_

"Where are we?" asked Sam, peeking over my shoulder into the bag that held the manga. I tapped the page and flipped through a bit. "Oh, cool! We're almost to—"

"Remember," I admonished, "we're being watched, so don't make too much of a fool of yourself!" I did this as a reminder to Sam not to reveal anything, in case someone was watching.

"I wasn't doing anything!" Anna protested.

"I'm sure you weren't," I smiled. "I was just reminding you."

"One thing, though, Nata—Natsumi," said Sam. "If this plan to catch Kira doesn't work, I swear…."

I knew she was referencing to the whole 'keep Light away from the Death Note' plan, so I replied, "Sayuri, Kira will be caught. I guarantee it."

The next day, I was having a conversation with Matsuda when we found out Misa was missing. "Matsuda," I said, "I have a feeling that something will go wrong today."

"Eh?" he replied. "Wasn't it you who said to look on the bright side of things?"

"Well, yeah, but I also have a feeling that it'll all work out for the better in the end…."

"Um… alright. But what sort of thing do you think will happen?"

"Ryuuzaki," said Watari from the computer, "Mogi is on the line."

"Yes?" replied L.

"I am so sorry," said Mogi, "Amane tricked me and I lost her at To-Oh Girl's Medical University."

"That sort of bad thing," I told Matsuda, gesturing to L and the computer.

"Oh…," Matsuda replied. "What is she doing?"

"No," said Soichiro, "Mogi; what was _he _doing?"

"…Well," said L, "I understand that it must be frustrating for a girl of her age to be under supervision all the time."

"Or—" I said, but I was cut off by Light.

"I hope it's as simple as that, but…," said Light, flipping open his phone. "She switched off the mobile she promised to keep switched on for me to reach her all the time…."

"Well," I said, "my theory is it wasn't just pressure from being under constant supervision…. I think she's gone off to continue that plan."

"Yes, I believe so too," agreed L.

"What?" asked Soichiro.

"Misa's stubborn," I explained bluntly, before L could respond. As much as I loved L, I was beginning to grow tired of his extensively long responses. "She obeyed Light easily last night when he told her to back off. She should have fought. Therefore, this can only mean…." I trailed off, to let someone else finish it.

"…That she's gone on her own to help," finished Light.

"…Yes," L agreed, looking at me.

"But then, now what do we do?" asked Matsuda.

"Well…," I said, "…we wait."

And wait we did. It wasn't long before Misa came into the public entrance and called Mogi, asking for entry. "Light!" she cried as she ran in. "Higuchi is Kira!"

_Oh boy… we're really getting down to it, aren't we?_

"Listen to this; I recorded it on my mobile. Mobiles are so useful…." She held up her phone.

"Alright," said Higuchi's recorded voice. "From now on I stop punishing criminals to make Misa trust me. Once you are convinced that I am Kira then we'll get married."

I laughed, earning a few odd looks. "Sorry," I giggled. "It's just the sheer unlikelihood that Misa would ever marry him…."

"Well, yeah…," Matsuda agreed. "That'd be… weird…. But if the punishing of criminals _does _stop," he said excitedly, "then Higuchi is Kira…. It'll put Chief's mind at rest, too. You're amazing, MisaMisa!"

"Indeed," agreed Soichiro.

"Misa…," said Light. "Misa, how did you get Higuchi to say this?"

_Aw, he's worried…. He really only cared for himself before…. It's sad, really._

"What?" replied Misa. "Well, he's got a huge crush on Misa, when I said 'I'd marry you if you're Kira,' he said that. And besides, he thinks that Misa's the second Kira."

"You idiot," Light reprimanded.

_Aw, you're mean._

"I thought I told you to deny that no matter what. We had agreed on 'I was restrained because I was suspected to be the second Kira, but it was a mistake.'"

"B-but with this we know that Higuchi's Kira, so we just have to arrest him," Misa said like a child apologizing for stealing a cookie from a cookie jar.

"No," Light disagreed, "if the seven of them discuss 'stopping the execution of the criminals to pull Misa, the second Kira, to our side,' we won't know who Kira is…."

I looked at Misa. _Don't worry, _I thought. _I know how you feel. _After all, she knew for sure Higuchi was Kira because of her talk with Rem, but no one else had that evidence, so she couldn't prove it, even though she knew it was correct.

"Just ask Namikawa," I said, before complications entered. "Then we'll know."

"That's true…," said Light.

"I agree; that would work," from L.

He opened his mouth to explain, but I cut him off. "If Higuchi's Kira, there's a meeting. If not, he'll have to hold a meeting, and I doubt Kira would follow his wishes." Soichiro began to ask a question, but I continued, trying to save as much time as possible. Yeah, I had really looked over the manga a lot, and I really _was _tired of listening to the same thing... "And we know he'll tell the _truth_ because we can tell him Higuchi's Kira and he'll stick to L's side because of that. See? Isn't it great without complications?"

"In any case," said L, "if the executions of the criminals stops like this, it's certain that Higuchi has Kira's powers."

"Yeah," Light agreed.

"Yay!" Misa cheered.

"High-five," I grinned, and gave Misa a high-five. _You know what? I never thought I'd high-five an anime character…. But then, I never thought I'd interact with them at all._

"Mr. Matsuda, do you think something like this is called a 'feat?'" L asked.

Matsuda smiled weakly.

"We can't let go now, Ryuuzaki," said Light. "Right now we still don't know how the murders are done."

_You used to know._

"That's exactly it…. I'd prefer finding out how Higuchi kills before capturing him," agreed L.

_You know, it would be so much easier if they decided to just capture him and kill him. Then Light would never be _near _the notebook again. _I sighed.

"And if the executions of the criminals stop," said Light, "we can't see how he does it, right?"

"Yes," L responded.

"What are we going to do? Misa might be killed like this."

"What?" asked Misa.

There was a pause, then, "Misa, how did you make Higuchi think that you're the second Kira?" asked L.

"Uh…," answered Misa. "Um…. I said that I can kill people, and then I said, 'If a guy proves that he's Kira, then Misa will prove it as well, and marry him,' and let my Kira worship side totally hang out…. Then things progressed and Higuchi said this," she said, pointing to her phone.

…_I can't wait for the big chase, _I thought absently. _Once that happens, I can finally put my plan together…. And once that's over, I can relax…. But then, I guess I have to explain to L afterwards why Light can't touch the Death Note…. I guess I'll have to reveal I'm from another world and all that. But then, Light would be known to be Kira… but he'd be innocent, though, right? Considering he isn't corrupted and all…. Though, I do wonder where _we'll _end up once this plan is over. I mean, L would move on with life, Light would probably go to college, and we'd never meet Mello or Near…. Damn, I just zoned out._

"This won't do," said Light. "We can't be thinking about the killing method. Let's arrest Higuchi."

_Ah, if only you _did _do that, Light. Then things would be so much easier…._

"In order to protect Misa?" asked L.

"That's right."

"Light…," said Misa softly.

_Okay, screw this, I'm tired of waiting. _"Why don't we just put Matsuda on Sakura TV?" I asked.

There was a long pause.

"_What?_" Matsuda cried.

"Natsumi, why would we—?" Light began, but L cut him off.

"Wait…," he said, gazing at me contemplatively. "Why?"

I swallowed. "Well, if we just had some cameras in Higuchi's car, it would work. I mean, just put Matsuda on TV behind one of those things that only show the silhouette, saying that he knew who Kira was."

"But aren't I supposed to be dead?" Matsuda asked weakly.

"You faked your death," I shrugged. "And then we call Namikawa, and tell him to call Higuchi and tell _him _that something bad's going on on Sakura TV. Then while he's watching, the silhouette thing would fall, and Higuchi would glimpse his face, so he would know it was Misa's old manager. So he'd call Mogi, and then the guy at the studio or whatever, and we would lure him to Misa's company building whatever thing, and from there he'd eventually go to Sakura TV studios. But we'd replace Matsuda and the interviewer with mannequins. And then, we'd ambush him." I finished there, and nodded to myself. "Yeah."

"U-uh…," Matsuda stuttered worriedly.

"That sounds fun!" Misa beamed. "Matsu!"

"But what if Higuchi has the same power as the second Kira?" asked Light. "Then Matsuda could end up dead."

"It's a risk that would have to be taken, if he's willing," I responded. "It would have to be Matsuda, though, because it has to be someone Higuchi thinks he can kill. So… yeah."

"No, I actually see where you're coming from…," said L, deep in thought. He pressed a few keys, and after a moment a fancy lowercase 'w' appeared on the screen. "Weddy," L greeted, "how are you doing on the surveillance of the Yotsuba group?"

"Well…" she responded, "…it looks like I can use cameras to track seventy percent of the things the seven do inside the company. Outside, it's impossible with only me and Watari."

"And what if you could only concentrate on Higuchi?"

"Higuchi?" she repeated.

"Yes."

"I've only been inside five houses, but Midou, Namikawa, and Higuchi's houses have abnormal security measures, especially Higuchi. Lately he's building an underground room that is shielded from electromagnetic waves and it took even me two days to get in there."

"Yeah," I said. "A _little _suspicious."

"He is," Soichiro agreed.

"I understand," said L into the mic. "Please plant bugs, transmitters, and cameras inside his cars rather than his house."

"What?" protested Weddy. "I've come this far…. Do you know how much work it is to get inside their houses? And besides, do you know how many cars Higuchi has?"

"He's got six," L replied promptly.

"…Okay, so I have to prep all of Higuchi's cars, right?"

"Please do that." He disconnected, then looked at me. "His cars are covered." He looked upwards. "My worry is that, the moment we catch him, he won't be Kira anymore…."

It was here that the conversation became white noise again as my thoughts wandered. _I can't believe that worked so well…. I just screwed up this scene, but it doesn't matter because the same plan comes out of it. Ha! Well, that certainly he__lps_ _to speed things along, doesn't it? Yay, I'm so accomplished in life…. And now Ryuuzaki will figure a few things out and smooth out the rough parts of the plan that I didn't clarify, and then it'll happen…. Oh…. I called L 'Ryuuzaki' again. That's so weird. I wonder, did the Los Angeles BB Murder Cases happen in this world? That would be awesome._

"Well, I digress," said L.

I blinked a few times. _You know, if I think short little thoughts like that, sometimes it sounds almost like the people around me are answering me…. Why do I zone out so much?_

"…We can dare to capture Kira," L finished.

I tilted my head slightly. _Alright then. Hm…. Will Sam marry Light?_

"Yeah, let's try it," said Light.

_Oh my god. _I covered my mouth with my hands, trying very, _very _hard not to laugh. _Okay, maybe I should stop doing this now…. If I don't, I'll start laughing randomly and people will either wonder why the hell I'm laughing, or think I have some sort of sick humor._

"Which is it?" asked L.

_And yet, it still sounds like he's answering me. Wait… which is what? I wasn't paying attention again…._

Light closed his eyes. "With that premise," he said, opening his eyes, "Light Yagami willed it."

_Right. The whole thing about if Light had been Kira._

"Yeah, that's what I thought…," said L.

"Therefore," I said, filled with an odd sense of confidence after my first interaction had gone well, "it couldn't be a being from the heavens, or something like that. If it were someone else, controlling people to be Kira, then this case couldn't be solved."

"Exactly," said Light seriously. "And if this being could see things from the heavens, or something along those lines, then he'd know we're discussing this right now."

"Yes," said L. "Even if Light Yagami is Kira… Kira's powers only work if the one with the powers wants it. Thanks, Light. Now I'm ninety-nine percent better."

"Why not one hundred?" I asked without thinking.

He eyed me. "There's always a chance, Natsumi. There are some things that aren't _undoubtedly true _or _definitely false. _There are far too many possibilities; too many factors; too many things one doesn't know. …Plus, we still have a plan to carry out, and we still haven't gotten it completely thought through."

I blinked and nodded. I hadn't meant to say that out loud, and hadn't really expected a response anyway.

"So," said L, "we'll use Natsumi's plan, and create a situation where Higuchi can't pass on his powers to someone else." He looked at Matsuda, who still looked a tad bit horrified. Poor guy. "Now we only need Matsuda's consent."

"Although, he will be at risk," I added, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Wee, sounds like fun!" Misa cried in delight.

"Yes," I said with a hint of sarcasm, "because risking your life is always fun_._"

"Well, if we're going to do that," said Light, "we should tie in the other seven people beforehand by saying that there were seven victims threatened with death if they didn't cooperate. This should prevent the other six people from doing anything that could mess things up."

"Yes, Light's proposal is good," agreed L. "Now… Matsuda, as this is a big decision, it should be good to give two to three days to decide."

There was a pause, and Matsuda looked at L determinedly. "I don't need two to three days," he said decidedly. "Please let me do it."

I smiled. _Now, things are really getting started!_

* * *

**Yay! Next chapter, the chase is on! :D And, at last, more original scenes will happen, and people that don't get a part (namely Sam, Sierra, and Anna) will finally be involved!**

**I'm so happy.**

_**Fun**** Fact**_**: For the record, this story is already finished. I finished it back in January. I wrote the sequel, too, and now I'm writing the third one. So... I guess you can say you've got a lot to look forward to. Ha.**

**Review? For L!**


	11. Chapter 11

_**Note:**_** Please read through straight to the end of this chapter.**

_**Warning: **_**This may contain a bit of foul language. Ha.**

_**xSmittenKittenx**_**:** Yeah, FanFiction actually wouldn't let me log in at first either... I was worried I couldn't update, but I'm glad I did. Oh yes, and _trust me_, after a point there's more originality than canon! :)

**And... the chase is _ON_!**

* * *

_Of all the people I wanted to meet from Death Note… I don't think Demegawa is one of them, _I thought. I had been assigned with Light's dad to the Sakura TV station, and Demegawa was currently gazing at a screen with an avaricious grin on his face. We were in a room showing live video of what was going on on television. There were a lot of controls…. I'd actually been in a TV station a few times before, since my dad occasionally went on TV, but it's not like I could operate anything...

_Oh, Dad, _I thought sadly, but the feeling dissipated quickly. My stomach was tight and tickly (yeah, tickly) from excitement, and my heart was beating quicker than normal despite the fact I most certainly was not in action yet. The darkness of the room fed my anticipation, who knew why…. Maybe it was because it combined with the screens gave it a movie theatre feel, or maybe it was because I subconsciously thought of the chase scene as something that happened _at night_. Maybe, maybe….

Soichiro was standing next to me, and Demegawa was sitting in the seat in front of him. We were the only ones in the room…. I paid rapt attention to the screens and how Matsuda's little show progressed. It seemed like a long time before Soichiro got a call. It made me jump – I was very jumpy and full of energy, obviously. At least I was very 'in the moment.' If I wasn't, there was risk of zoning out at an important time. And that would be very, very, _very _bad. Beyond bad, in Sam's words. _Really _bad, in Anna's. Really, really, really, really, really, really, really bad, in Sierra's. And in mine? Well, it's beyond words, in my opinion. It was awful, terrible, dreadful, ghastly, horrific… and it had incredibly dire consequences.

…Meaning L would probably die.

"Got it," said Soichiro, and closed his phone. "Demegawa," he said, "we'll make our next move during the next commercial break. We will swap Matsui and the interviewer with mannequins, and continue playing their recorded conversation on the radio from the bridge station. That way the program can go on as if nothing has happened. Meanwhile, we will leave the cameras leaving the two mannequins, and all the staff will evacuate from this building."

"Yep," replied Demegawa. "Leave it to me. Everything is prepared and ready to go."

Thus, we evacuated the staff, which went by painfully slow, and replaced Matsuda and the interviewer with mannequins. Weddy arrived soon to aid us in the ambush, and we took our places behind a low wall. Weddy was holding a gun. "Mr. Yagami, we only have a few minutes to go, right?" she asked.

I swallowed. Soon everything would be happening very fast. L and Light were probably in the helicopter by now….

"Right," Soichiro replied. "Natsumi, how are you?"

"I'm good," I replied. "Better than ever. Looking forward to it."

"Good," said Weddy, and handed us both helmets that hid our faces. "And this," Weddy added, handing Soichiro a gun. "Aiber doesn't like to carry one with him so I'm the only one with it. Mr. Yagami, you should have one, too. I'd give one to the kid, but… well, she's a kid."

"I appreciate your acknowledgment," I muttered, then put on my helmet. It was a tad big on me, but it worked. Okay… a lot big. But it served its purpose.

"I am no longer a member of the force. I cannot allow myself to have it. You are not allowed to use yours in Japan, either," Soichiro told her.

"Stubborn, aren't you?" she smiled.

"I guess."

It wasn't even two minutes later when I heard the door open and footsteps enter the room. Soichiro and Weddy jumped up, and I followed suit. "Hold it right there, Higuchi!" Soichiro commanded, as Weddy held up her gun and cocked it. Aiber and Mogi ran into the room right then, also with helmets, and the five of us surrounded him.

"Time to give up," said Weddy.

"What?" Higuchi asked casually. "You guys got the wrong idea…. I'm here because I have a meeting with Mr. Demegawa…."

_Right…._

His hand went into his bag, and my eyes widened in anticipation of what I knew would happen next. "I'm from the Yotsuba group's development lab…. I'll show you my card…."

_He sounds too nonchalant… honestly._ I had also gone over the scenes of tonight multiple times the night before, to make sure I had everything down. _So now he takes out his gun…. _I glanced at Soichiro. _Damn it! I'm between him and her, so Weddy will get shot…! _And so, without thinking, I jumped to Weddy. And I was shot. In the upper arm. And the shadows came so quickly to get rid of the fakeness of it all that it scared me. But that was the least of my worries at the moment.

"Ow, ow, _ow!_" I cried, hand clutching my shoulder as I stumbled to my knees. "That _hurts!_"

"Natsumi!" cried Soichiro.

Higuchi made a run for it.

Aiber went after him, taking a gun Weddy tossed to him.

_You know, _I thought, gritting my teeth, _I sometimes wondered what it was like to be shot. Now I know. And it hurts. Now think…. The bullet only grazed it, I'll be fine…. But _damn it, _it _stings! _…Hey, blood…. Cool._

"Sorry, Ryuuzaki," said Mogi, "he got out. Higuchi has a gun on him, Natsumi got shot, and Higuchi escaped!"

"I'm perfectly fine, Ryuuzaki," I said hastily. I couldn't let myself slow my group down. That was a major no-no. "It only grazed my arm; it's only a scratch, really."

"If we go after him quickly we'll get him," said Soichiro. "Ready, Natsumi?"

"Of course!" I answered, getting quickly to my feet. "Let's go!" The three of us ran to catch up to Higuchi, running down a long hallway. _Okay, getting shot I was not expecting, _I thought as I ran. _But my legs work fine, and so does my mouth. That's all I need to tell Ryuuzaki—L, I mean, that Light can't touch the Note. Things will work fine…._ I glanced my hand, gripping my wound tightly. _I'm not gonna want to move my hand later…._

We rode in cars in a chase for Higuchi, who was in his own car. The police, thanks to Aizawa and Ide, had him surrounded. A helicopter (which I knew to contain L, Light, and Watari) landed nearby. I couldn't really see what was happening, but I heard shooting, which I assumed to be Watari being awesome.

_Oh my god, this pain is so annoying…, _I thought. _Now that my brain's processed it, it hurts even more…. Ugh, note to self: don't get shot again. Okay, Natalie, think about something else…. Think about anything but your arm…. Hm, how about…? _I squinted at Higuchi. _Higuchi looks like a lizard. Why haven't I noticed that before? He looks so lizard-like. It's creepy. No wonder that evil smile of his is so… well, creepy. My god, it stings…. Um, tell me, Natalie, why is it that it's so much easier to zone out here? It's nearly impossible to zone out while I'm watching the actual show of this. Why is it so much easier to zone out now? You'd think it'd be harder to zone out because it's _actually happening_. Maybe it's because… hm, I can't think of a theory…. Think… think, Natalie, think of anything but that stupid stinging pain…._ I blinked. _My god, I am such a wimp. Now…. _I gulped. My heart was still beating wildly and a feeling of anxiety had started to creep into my chest. _Um, wait… where's Light's dad…? He's… Lying on the ground over there… when did get out of the car?_ Then, it hit me.

_Oh, shit._

I pulled the handle with my shot arm and kicked open the door. _Damn it, Natalie…. Damn it, damn it, _damn it! _What the fuck is wrong with you, zoning out at a time like this? Sure, it hurts, but you can worry about that later…._

"_Ryuuzaki!_" I yelled, running as fast as I could where the helicopters were. My voice was slightly muffled by my helmet. _Shit…. _I shook my helmet off, and grabbed it with my bad arm, still clutching my wound with my good arm. "_Ryuuzaki!_" I yelled at the top of my lungs. _Ow. My throat. _I wove through the police cars, going around to the other side of the helicopter, repeatedly calling L's fake name. "Ryuuzaki! _Ryuuzaki!_" I, unfortunately, was too frantic to remember I had a headset that could be activated with the push of a button. When I had almost reached the helicopter, I called out as loud as I could, "_Ryuuzaki!_" again and yanked open the helicopter door. "Don't let Light touch… the notebook…." All confidence drained out of me. _Oh shit…. Natalie, you've done it, now…._

Light was holding the notebook. And he was looking at me. He was smiling. And the shadows were making everything more real as I stared into his corrupted, taunting eyes. _'I won,' _they said. _'I beat you all.'_

_Shit, _I repeated.

"What was that, Natsumi?" L asked.

I sent my brain to check of all the options open to me, and did the first thing I thought of that I could do. I, again without thinking, dropped my helmet, let go of my wound, grabbed the notebook, and pulled with all of my might. "Let go, Light!" He pulled back, but gravity was against him, and the note was pulled from his grasp as I fell onto the road. I grimaced. _Ow. Again._

Light, from the helicopter, blinked a few times in confusion, then saw me lying on the pavement. "Natsumi! Are you alright?" He jumped out of the helicopter and bent over to help me up, making L lean over within the helicopter because of the handcuffs.

"No, stay away! Do—not—touch—this—Note!"

"Why not?"

"Trust me!" I responded. My wide, almost wild eyes must have made him wonder a bit, and worry, because he didn't let up. Thinking back, I'd react the same way to someone who looked like they were about to snap; I probably looked pretty damn freaked out. But I was not about to let everything fall apart... It was against my being.

"Natsumi, really, are you okay? Is it because of the monster?"

"Monste—? No!" I backed away. "No, no, no. No."

"No?"

"No!"

"Natsumi," said L, from the helicopter, "stop backing away. I'll fall out. Give Light the notebook. Besides, he deserves to see the monster just as everyone else."

"You don't understand; he can't!" I cried. No, no, it wasn't supposed to go this way...

"Natsumi," said Light gently, "it's alright." He took the notebook. At first I resisted, but then knew it was all futile and just sorta let go. Light yelled, of course, upon re-remembering his memories again. And he smiled. A sweet, kind, gentle smile. If I didn't know him better, I'd think it was genuine. But I did know him better. And I could see the new fire in his eyes. "Come on, Natsumi," he chided, "you can get back to the car that Father drove. I think that being shot… and now seeing this monster… may have traumatized you. But it's alright now. Kira's caught."

I nodded numbly and obeyed him as though in a daze, heading back to Light's dad's car slowly, head somewhat bowed in defeat. My mouth was still slightly agape in shock. The pain of my arm and now of my tailbone had not sunk in again yet. Behind me, I could hear Light and L talking. "What was she going on about?" I heard.

"Oh, I think she's just surprised as all. I think she'll be alright, though…." But of course, what I heard in my head, in Light's voice, of course, was simple.

_Just as planned._

Maybe for him. Not so much for me.

I plopped myself down in my back seat, and stared at nothing. I absently closed the door. I didn't even notice it when Higuchi died. Before I knew it, I was walking back in to headquarters. Almost none of the conversation held there sunk in to my brain. I didn't pay attention at all. All I could think was, _Oh my god… I just killed L…. L is going to die because of me…. _When I walked into my room that night, my friends were so happy and excited. Knowing this made me even more depressed.

"Sorry about Sam—Sayuri, I mean," said Sierra, gesturing vaguely to Sam, who sat on the bed with her arms crossed, glaring at something random. "She's not in a very good mood…. But hey! Look on the bright side, if there's bad news, she won't get any worse, and if there's good news, it might cheer her up!"

"Whoa, Aunt Nata—um… Natsumi…," said Anna. "What happened to your shoulder?"

"I was shot," I responded absently, then allowed my legs to collapse beneath me. It felt nice to make them relax.

"Tired?" asked Sierra with a grin. "I can believe it. So, how'd it go?"

I looked up at her. "Light remembers," I said flatly, paying no regard to the cameras. I later told myself that it was alright because no one really watched any of the surveillance cameras besides the ones in Misa's room….

Sierra's smile faded.

"_What?_" yelled Sam, her tone higher than normal. "You said it'd work! And now L's going to _die?_"

"I know, Sam, I know…." I watched as she grabbed some of her clothes and yanked them from their hangers. "…What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving!" she snapped.

"Wha-?" yelped Sierra, then looked at my shocked expression. "She-she told us earlier not to take anything she said personally," Sierra stammered quickly. "She's just not happy… she won't leave, really…."

"Oh yes I am!" Sam responded angrily. "I'm going to America – to Maxey Island! I'm gonna find a way home!"

"Sam, you can't leave!" Sierra cried.

"I think I have the right to!" she snapped back.

"But… but Sam—"

"Be quiet, you idiot! I hate you! With a severe passion!"

Sierra blinked a few times, obviously hurt.

"Sayuri…?" asked Anna in a small voice.

Sam slammed one of the dresser drawers shut in response, clutching some cash in her hand.

She was in one of those incredibly irritable moods, I could see, though I'd never seen her this angry before. Well, I had, but she didn't go to such extremes. When we were younger, she used to throw things (like stuffed animals, or pebbles, or pillows… or staplers) at me. She used to actually physically attack me, too, but that was all in elementary. No harm done. However, no matter what, she never went right out and said, 'I hate you.' Because she didn't. I've heard Sam say that Sierra and Anna were awesome, so it was beyond me as to why Sam hated Sierra at the moment. If I were in a better mood myself, I would have said, '_Someone's grumpy…_' then somehow calmed her down in gentle tones. But at that moment, I could only watch, downcast and subdued, as she gathered all of her things into a bag in preparation to travel very far away. I could only think that it was all because of me, and that horrible thought pressed down on my chest and rendered me unable to stop even this.

"Sam… can I have a hug goodbye?" asked Anna hesitantly.

"_No_," Sam growled irately.

An idea occurred to me, and I made my way to my area of stuff to grab that little piece of the Death Note. I ripped this piece of paper in half, and held out one half to Sam. "Since I can't stop you…. If something bad happens to any one of us… well, at least take this."

She stared at it a moment, snatched it out of my hand, then went out the door and slammed it shut.

"Goodbye," I mumbled, closing my eyes and sitting on the bed. That had hurt. That had hurt a lot. I almost felt like crying, and I never cry….

There was a ringing silence in the room. Then, there was a soft, "So… L's gonna die?"

My eyes slowly opened, and I looked up at Anna. Then I looked at Sierra, who was trying to wipe tears from her eyes. (Us girls – we're so emotional.) Then my eyes shifted to the ground again, and narrowed in determination. I brought myself to my feet, straightening up as my brain reactivated. "No, Anna. He's not going to die." I gazed at the plastic bag on the dresser that held the manga. _But I need a plan_.

* * *

"Natsumi!" Matsuda greeted the next morning. "How are you feeling? I heard something happened last night…."

"I'm fine. Thank you, though." I turned to L. "Ryuuzaki," I explained, "Sayuri had a fight with our group last night, and left. She's gone off to find her way home. Apparently she regrets running away…."

"Yes, I saw her leave last night," L replied absently. "She didn't look very happy."

"No…. But now, since Sayuri's gone… my other two friends don't want to stay here anymore. It reminds them too much of the little scene from last night."

"I see…."

"Would it be alright, then, if I were to find them a new home for the time being? It'll only take the day…. Actually, if it isn't too much trouble, could I come back tomorrow?"

L looked directly at me. "We just hit upon something important, Natsumi. We need you here."

"Yes, Ryuuzaki, I understand that…. I'm sure I can catch on to what's going on relatively quickly, though. I can get here at five thirty tomorrow morning, if you want. Besides… Kira was caught. Surely nothing urgent will happen while I'm gone. Besides, it's only one night. After that, I'll stay here until it's all over."

"True…. You may go, I suppose. It's up to you, after all…. I expect you to be back tomorrow morning, though."

"Five thirty?" I asked.

"Five thirty," he confirmed.

Time passed. And I let it pass. I had to. Time may be called an illusion by some geniuses, but it still moves forward, and we have no control in the matter. Therefore, all I could do was wait. _Well, today is November fifth, _I thought grimly as I stood by the computers. _Today is the day L dies. _I had only had a week to come up with a foolproof plan, and I hadn't really come up with anything considered 'foolproof.' _L is going to die today, _I thought to myself. _Prepare yourself. L is going to die today._

"I wonder if Light's found Ryuuzaki yet…," commented Matsuda.

"What exactly is he doing, anyway, disappearing like that?" Aizawa muttered.

There was the sound of elevator doors opening, and Light came out, pulling a half-dry L by the wrist.

"I found him," said Light. "He was on the roof."

I gazed at the two of them blankly. _Did he talk about the bells? _I wondered absently.

"No, he didn't," said Light, giving me a vaguely confused look.

I blinked. "Did I say that out loud?" I mumbled.

L sat back on his chair. "I like the rain," he explained. "And I needed to think." The day continued as normal. At least, it seemed so….

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Soichiro later on. "More dead criminals…."

"Sixteen people during last night alone…," said Aizawa, who was now back in the investigation. "People who were announced after the death of Higuchi…."

"It's pretty thorough…," commented Matsuda.

"Kira…," muttered Light. "Damn it."

_Now. _"Ryuuzaki, can I have a word with you?" I asked in a lower tone so as not to draw attention. Light looked over in our direction. I only spared him a glance.

"What about, Natsumi?" he responded in a normal tone, not so much as looking at me.

"Well… may I speak with you alone?"

It was then that he actually looked, and made eye contact. "Why?"

"It's very important, and I'd like to tell you away from prying eyes."

"There are surveillance cameras everywhere, Natsumi."

"But they won't watch!" I pointed out, gesturing to the others. "Please, Ryuuzaki, this is a very important matter."

He thought a moment. "Alright," he replied, getting to his feet.

"Huh?" asked Matsuda. "Where are you going, Ryuuzaki?"

"I'm having a talk with Natsumi." And so, we headed to the elevator as the others engaged in conversation again. When the two of us came back out, his head was slightly bowed.

"You ready?" I whispered.

He nodded, then walked back to his chair to sit and eat his panda crackers.

"But of course," said Light, "this makes it clear that another notebook exists…. Isn't that right, Rem?"

_As I thought. He delayed the conversation for Ryuuzaki to hear…._

"Probably…" Rem replied, "since Shinigami don't just go about targeting criminals and killing them off."

"From the moment Misa became free…," mused L, taking a bite of one of his cookies.

_And I will stay completely silent throughout this whole exchange…._

"Ryuuzaki," said Light, "you're still thinking about that. Misa doesn't have anything to do with this. Even so, she was suspected of being the second Kira. Even if she did have Kira's power, using it at a time like this would just be stupid. If you say 'the moment,' it should be the moment Higuchi died."

As words were spoken, they were hardly put together in my mind. They were just phrases I knew, phrases I knew would be said. I was in a play again, but right now I wasn't in it. I was the audience of one, watching one man's final performance. Watching a scene I'd seen so many times….

"Well," L continued, "if there is another notebook and someone is using it… then we'll definitely capture that person."

I looked over to Light. _How is it, _I wondered, _that Light can smile evilly like that and no one notices it? How? I wonder, if you're in this world, does it automatically make you able to do things like that more discreetly? I guess so…._

"But Ryuuzaki, the murderer's notebook…," said Light. "I believe in it as well, but if you were able to capture the person who was writing the names, will you be able to properly convict them as a mass murderer?"

_I went over this so many times, _I thought, _I almost have the conversation memorized. Not that it makes much of a difference. _I looked to L. _It makes me feel so bad for him, though…. He's still going to die…. _I glanced around at the others. _And none of them have any idea…._

"I can't demonstrate it without verifying the notebook. But that doesn't matter to me. If the case can be solved, I'll leave the rest up to the Ministry of Justice."

Throughout all this, I was unwittingly tense, waiting for the moment I knew would inevitably happen. And yet, there was a sense of calm that settled over me. At least that meant I was in a good mood for acting. I'd need to be in the best mood for that. And through the whole thing, I was painfully aware of the time that was slowly running out. A word here and there would process, and I'd be alerted how close his death was. Rem would be leaving soon…. Soon, L would be dead…. One thing always lead to another, up to that climactic point of L's end.

"That's the legal trade that we'll make." L paused, and took a bite of his panda cookie, seeming to savor the taste. "Watari," he said, "contact the heads of all the states that fit into the situation."

_And I won't say a word._

"Ryuuzaki!" Soichiro protested.

"That's unreasonable," objected Aizawa. "Wait. What do you plan by doing that right now?"

L kept staring straight at the computer screen, not even glancing at Aizawa. "It would be a verification of the murderer's notebook, of course."

I glanced back at Rem. She was slipping away. _Here it comes, _I thought. I was still really calm, but I could feel my heartbeat going a little bit faster.

There was a crash coming from the speakers.

"What's wrong, Watari?" asked L. "_Watari?_"

I looked back at Light. He was smiling again. _Oh, I get it now. He does it at the moments where everyone else is preoccupied with something else… unless they're expecting it._

Three words came up on the screen: _All data deletion._

"All data deletion?" asked Light. "What does that mean?"

"I told Watari to delete all the information he currently holds if anything were to happen to him…," replied L.

"'If anything were to happen to him'…," Aizawa echoed.

"He… can't be…," said Matsuda.

"Where is the Shinigami?" asked L, turning around in his seat.

"The Shinigami…," said Soichiro. "It's gone…."

"Everyone," said L. "The Shiniga—" He stopped short, and began to tremble slightly.

"Oh?" asked Soichiro. "What's wrong, Ryuuzaki?"

And then L fell off of his chair. It happened so much quicker in real life. He leaned to his left, the chair lost its balance, and he toppled over. Light jumped to catch him.

_All according to script._

"_Ryuuzaki?_" Light asked frantically.

My breath came faster. "Ryuuzaki!" I cried, sliding over to him on my knees. I made my way around to his head. "Ryuuzaki!" I repeated. "_L_!" cried out, squeezing my eyes shut and shaking my head vigorously. _Someone is dying before my eyes, and I don't have any tears? Come on, Natalie, L is dead. L is dead. L is dead…. _It became a horrible mantra, repeated over and over again in my head. "Ryuuzaki, don't close your eyes, stop it! _Ryuuzaki!_"

"Ryuuzaki! Hey, Ryuuzaki!" said Light, shaking him as though to try to wake him up.

"What… what happened?' asked Light's dad.

"What is…" asked Mogi, "what is going…?"

Light cried out, letting out a nice, long, convincing wail. At the same time, I let out one final cry of, "_Ryuuzaki!_" And I cried. I actually cried. It came easily after the first few tears came. Then they were streaming down my cheeks.

"Light, calm… calm down," said his father. "Natsumi…."

I gazed down at L in utter shock, hardly daring to breathe.

"Aizawa?" Soichiro asked urgently, and Aizawa nearly fell over.

"We…," said Aizawa, lost for words.

Light covered it for him. "We're next!" he exclaimed in horror. "Watari… Ryuuzaki… and now… us…," he listed off.

Everyone reacted in equal shock and horror, though Matsuda yelled out.

A few moments passed, and nothing happened.

"Ooh…," said Matsuda, looking around.

"We… we must call an ambulance," said Mogi.

"B…but Ryuuzaki doesn't have any ID…," Aizawa pointed out.

"S…such a thing shouldn't be a problem, I'll go with him…," said Soichiro.

"Ryuuzaki…," I mumbled, and slumped over. _L is dead, _my mind repeated. _L is dead._

* * *

His funeral was private. It wasn't exactly like the deleted scene, as I guessed the deleted scene was merely an interpretation of how the funeral had gone. I remained dejected throughout the funeral, and eventually only Light and I remained. I must admit, the scene from Relight was very close to what happened.

Light did his special little Kira laugh, though a bit different from the one performed in the warehouse. It was a little less… corrupted. Light didn't get down on his hands and knees to taunt L at his grave, but he did lean forward and bend down. He mostly stood tall, though, so he could look down on his grave. He was laughing and jeering and all around having a good time, for the most part. And you know what?

I wanted so badly to laugh along with him.

I could barely hold back the laughter I so wanted to let out. There was so much of me that wanted to laugh with Light (or at him), and only a small part that wanted to whack him over the head. Not being able to hold back some form of happiness, I settled for smiling at Light as he did what he did. I knew who he was; why should he hold back, right? I couldn't cover my mouth, though. I couldn't give any hint that I wanted to laugh very, very hard. And why was it I wanted to laugh so badly? Well….

L wasn't dead.

* * *

**...Did I scare anyone there?**

_**Fun**** Fact**_**: Sam and Sierra got all mad at me when I told them L was going to die. Then that last sentence there was read, and they loved me again. xD**

**Reviewww? I give you L's cake!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Alright. I'm sorry for worrying you guys. *holds up hands in defeat* But I've gotta admit it amused me...**

_**paige g**_**: **Heehee sorry for leaving you hanging.

_**i'm a QT**_**:** Psha! L has enough cake, he can spare a slice, at least. Right? And I'm updating; I'm updating! ...Even though I already hear creepy Kira laughs in my sleep.

**...Is it weird that I love that Kira laugh?**

* * *

_The first plan I came up with involved admitting I was Kira - that would take the suspicion completely off Light and Misa, therefore not worrying Rem enough to make her kill L and Watari. However, if that were to happen, as soon as L realized criminals continued to die, he would resume investigating, and I'd be in jail while L was killed. It was a useless plan. So, I racked my brains for anything else we could do. There was an eventual idea that seemed improbable at first, but my mind kept circling back to it and as I kept answering questions of 'How...?' and 'Will this work?' the inchoate plan grew and became more clear, becoming more likely to be a success as each question was answered. The factors of it worried me with so many things that could go wrong - it depended upon too many little things - and it wouldn't end the way I would like, but it seemed my only choice. So, I took the first step in what I had to do within this idea._

"_Guys," I said, turning to my nieces, "we're moving out."_

_I told L the next day of that fact, and we moved to a new hotel room. I trusted Sierra and Anna to get themselves food, and left to do my own job. "Where are you going?" asked Anna._

_I smiled. "I'm going to jail." It seemed I'd be picking this plan after all... if, of course, I could find what I needed._

_Upon reaching the nearest prison, guarded by barbed wire and tall fences, I went through the halls (with a warden escorting me) in search of the perfect criminal. I peered through the bars of many cells, but none of them were what I was looking for. I began to grow worried, and I found myself looking back on any sort of backup plan as my hope drained. Of course it was too much to hope for, anyway... Then, in one of the last cells, I found the perfect guy. He sat on his bed, head bowed and looking dejected._

He has the perfect facial features, _I noted, utterly relieved. I silently prayed that everything else would fit into place. "May I see that man?" I asked. "What is his name? What's he here for?"_

"_He was accused of murder," the warden answered. "His name is Riku Matsumoto."_

_The man looked up. He was in his twenties, and he had black hair; he had no seen facial hair either. His hair was long and pulled back into a ponytail, but as I am abnormally texture-inclined I knew his hair was soft, fluffy, and poofy all at once. Perfect. He looked tired, too; like he'd had many sleepless nights. The shadows weren't as pronounced as L's, but it was still noticeable. "...What is it?" he asked._

"_Riku," I asked, "I need to ask you something important." I looked at the warden. "May I speak with him alone? Surely it would be alright if I'm on the outside and he's in the cell, right?"_

"_Sure," he replied. I was lucky to have a nice, easygoing kind of guy escorting me. I hoped my luck would continue. "I'll be waiting outside the hall." He turned and walked away._

"_Hello, Riku," I greeted with a smile. The warden closed the door behind him. "May I ask… why you're here?"_

"_I was accused of murder," Riku replied dully, looking me straight in the eyes._

"_Well, yes, but you always say 'accused.' Was it proven?"_

"_Yes." His grey eyes were weary. Eyes that had seen death._

"_What were the circumstances?"_

"_It was self defense…," Riku replied. "But the judge didn't trust it, so he locked me up." He frowned slightly. "Judges can be hard on killers in times like these, especially if they support Kira…."_

"_Were you put on television?"_

"_Maybe… a few months ago…."_

"_Do you support Kira?"_

_He stared blankly at me._

"_Okay. That was a kinda stupid question. Now, Riku, I need to ask you something very important."_

_He continued gazing at me, waiting for me to speak._

"_Would you be interested in helping L?"_

"_Helping… L?" he asked. "But I'm… I'm just a criminal now…." He looked down at his upturned hands, looking into his palms. "What can I do?"_

"_I can assure you that you can help a lot. Maybe even save his life."_

_He looked up to me again. "How?"_

"_Just tell me: do you want to do it?"_

"_Well, yes."_

"_But wait, there's one catch…," I said. "If you do this, you will probably die."_

"_If I help L, I die…?"_

"_It's your choice entirely."_

"_Of course I'll do it," Riku said determinedly, then deflated again. I felt that I had just caught a glimpse of the strong-willed man he used to be. It almost made me sad to see him like this, now. "I could be killed at any time by Kira anyway…. Besides, what is there to lose?"_

_I smiled. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this helps. I will pay to get you out of here, and then I will explain what you have to do back at my hotel room."_

_He nodded, and I went to get the guard. I had to pay the jail quite a bit of money, but it was worth it…._

_Once I had Riku back at the hotel, I explained what I had come up with to Anna, Sierra, and him. "November fifth is in seven days," I explained. "Seven days is the amount of time we have until L is killed."_

"_How do you know when L will be killed?" asked Riku. "…Oh…. You're in contact with Kira, aren't you?"_

"_No, I'm not."_

"_Yeah you are!" Anna interjected._

_I sighed. "Whether or not I am doesn't matter. It also doesn't matter how I know these things. All that matters right now is saving L." They replied with nods. "Okay, so, on November fifth, early in the morning, Riku will drive a rented car near the building L is in. Sierra, you can direct him there. Riku will be dressed as L."_

"_How do we know what L looks like?" asked Riku._

"_I work with him," I replied promptly. He seemed surprised, but didn't cut me off. "Of course, we'll need clothes, and your hair needs to be cut…."_

"_How do we know his hair will look like L's when it's cut?" asked Sierra doubtfully. "L has really unlikely hair that, like, defies gravity."_

"_Pet his hair," I said promptly, gesturing to Riku._

"_What?" asked Riku bemusedly, then shifted uncomfortably as my nieces pet his hair, Anna standing atop the bed to reach his head._

"_It's amazing!" Sierra squeaked._

_I nodded curtly. "It's the same consistency as L's. I knew that the moment I saw him."_

"_You're awesome, Aunt Natalie!" Anna exclaimed._

"_That's Natsumi to you, and yes, I knew one day my weird hair texture determination abilities would come in handy," I beamed._

_Riku coughed, still feeling awkward, and the nieces took the hint and stopped petting him._

"_Now," I said, all business again, "I still need to figure something out about the security cameras…. But that problem will be solved in due time. What you will do, Riku, is climb up the rope I hand down to you and into the room I'm in – I'm not clear on what room or what floor I'll be in yet. Michiyo and Yui, you can steady the rope, then wait in the car once Riku is in. Once in, Riku, you will stay in that room until I come back with L. When this happens, I will quickly direct L to the re-lowered rope and tell him to go down it to the car. Yui and Michiyo can explain things on their way back to the hotel. Riku, I will bring you down to the rest of the investigation team, and at this point you will be pretending to be L. Okay?"_

"_Okay…," replied Riku. "But how do I know how to act? What do I say? I'm guessing I have to make all sorts of deductions, but…."_

"_Can you act, Riku?"_

"_Well, yes."_

"_Can you memorize lines?"_

"_Yes."_

"_And do you have amazing endurance?"_

"_Of course."_

"_Then you're good. I know every word that will be spoken."_

_He furrowed his brow. "How?"_

_I smiled. "Let's just say I have… otherworldly intuition."_

"_Alright…." I could tell he was doubtful on that explanation, but he didn't press further._

_"Just trust me," I said with a smile, and that seemed to be enough for now._

_When I went back to headquarters the next day, I searched for Weddy in my spare time. I did find her eventually. Luckily. "What is it, kid?" she asked. "If it's about blaming me for your shoulder, that isn't my fault."_

_I unconsciously put my hand to my injured shoulder. "No, no…. I want to ask you a favor."_

"_A favor?"_

"_Yes… after all, you owe me. I saved your life."_

"_No, you didn't. I would have been fine."_

"_Well… normally, I would never ask favors like this… but it's really important. Would you do it if I told you it was to help L?"_

"_To help L? What do you mean, 'help?'"_

_I smiled. "I'm talking about saving his life."_

"_And if I say no?"_

_The smiled faded, and I sighed. "Then I'd have to resort to threats… but I honestly don't want to have to do that." After all, I knew her real name. Say it aloud to prove it to her, and I pretty much give her a death threat. She was a criminal, after all…._

_She smirked. "What is it you want me to do?"_

_I gave a relieved smile in reply. "Can you hack into a security system and set a few of the cameras on a loop?"_

"_Only a few? That makes it harder, you know."_

"_Yes, only a few. Can you do it?"_

"_Where's the place?"_

_I grinned. "We're in the place."_

_The plan began very early in the morning on November fifth. I had occasionally went out to 'visit' my nieces throughout the week when in actuality I was getting everything ready. I needed a long rope, I needed to rent a car, I needed to buy clothes and makeup, I needed to get Riku a haircut…. That morning, I visited Weddy in her part-time room of the building. I eyed the computer on her desk. "Is it ready?" I asked softly._

_She nodded. "All the cameras in here are on a loop. If someone looks, this room is completely empty. I also got all the rooms directly below us, so the rope doesn't show up on camera."_

"_Good thinking," I said. "Thank you. Now…." I headed over to the emergency window, and opened it up. I looked down seven floors to the ground below and waited. Soon, a black car drove up to the side of the road. Weddy handed me one end of the rope, and I began lowering it down swiftly. Riku came out of the driver's side, dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt and baggy jeans. He wasn't wearing shoes. Anna and Sierra came out from the back, and waved up at me to show me they were there. I waved back to show I saw them._

_When the rope was close enough to the ground, Riku grabbed hold of it and began making his way up, slowly but surely. It looked for all the world like L was climbing up the side of the building, like in some spy movie. Anna and Sierra grabbed the rope once he was up a ways to keep it a bit more steady. I waited anxiously for Riku to reach where we were…. Each moment was one more moment of being possibly seen. Finally, he was close enough for Weddy to grab his arm and help him up. I began pulling the rope back up as Weddy got out the makeup to make the shadows under Riku's eyes more pronounced. It felt odd knowing there were multiple people carrying out a plan that _I _created. It was almost surreal... but it was a rather nice feeling, too._

"_I'll come back up," I smiled. "Until then, you can stay right here. Thank you for this, by the way…. I'm sorry about the consequences of your helping."_

"_No, it's alright," he said, not looking at me for fear of messing up Weddy's makeup application._

"_And thank you, too, Weddy," I added, turning to her._

"_No problem, Natsumi," she responded, not even glancing at me. It was hard to tell with her sunglasses, though, anyway._

_I smiled slightly. I had graduated from '_kid_' to '_Natsumi_.' Perhaps I'd gained a small measure of respect._

_Later on, I told L that I needed to talk to him alone. This was when I made the switch. "Where are we going?" asked L as we rose up to the seventh floor in the elevator._

"_No time to explain," I responded, and grabbed him by the wrist to pull him forward down the hall and into Weddy's room._

"_Natsumi," L asked upon seeing Riku, "why is there someone impersonating me here? Please explain."_

_Riku smiled weakly and offered a little wave. This was the great L standing before him; what else could he do...?_

"_L, I hate to tell you this, but…." I looked straight into his wide, grey, blank eyes. "You are about to die."_

_If he was surprised, or at all worried, he didn't show it. He didn't even miss a beat before he responded, "And how do you know this?"_

"_I can't explain now, there's no time. Yui and Michiyo can explain down in the car." I led him over to the window._

_Weddy had already lowered the rope and put on gloves to prevent rope burn. "Here," she said, giving L some gloves for the same purpose. Then she climbed out the window and slid down the rope._

"_Weddy was aware of this?" L asked._

"_She doesn't know much… just hurry. There's no time…. I promise everything will be explained in the car and once I get back to the hotel." He didn't move. "Please. I'm doing this to save your life."_

"_Natsumi, I don't know how many times my life has been in danger. I need to solve the Kira case."_

"_L, you won't be able to. You'll die today if you do. You can't help anyone if you're dead."_

_He seemed to contemplate this a moment, then slipped on the gloves. As he climbed out the window, he looked at me. "I expect an explanation."_

"_There will be one," I smiled, and he went down the rope to the car, where Weddy and my nieces were waiting. My nieces greeted him with obvious enthusiasm as I began pulling up the rope, with Riku's help. The moment L had slid down, I knew there was no going back. We had just changed the story line. Immensely. _It is done_, I thought solemnly, then turned to Riku. "Do you know your lines?" I asked._

"_Yes. I know this whole conversation like the back of my hand…. I can't say I'm not nervous, though."_

"_That's alright." I stuffed the rope into a large bag, then slid it under Weddy's bed. I gave Weddy a thumbs up, and she began driving away. "It's normal to be nervous…. Especially since… well…."_

"_I'm dying at the end of the performance."_

"_Well, yeah. That." I looked at him. "C'mon."_

_He lost his posture and slumped forward, bending his knees slightly. "Coming, Natsumi."_

_We headed to the elevator, then went back to the floor with the investigators. "Are you ready?" I whispered._

_He nodded. No other words were needed._

_The day of the funeral, I was allowed a small amount of time at the hotel. "Natsumi," greeted L. He was sitting (well… crouching) on the wooden chair in the corner by the desk. "I would like an explanation. Your friends are babbling nonsense… it's no help to me. Of what they say, I've only concluded that you know much more than you let on."_

"_Babbling nonsense?" I asked, raising my eyebrows, then looked at Sierra and Anna. They smiled innocently._

"_I was just telling him the stuff we know!" Sierra defended. "I was telling him about Mello and Near and Naruto and BB and all sorts of stuff like that!"_

_I blinked. "Well," I said, turning to L, "to put it simply, we're from another world that knows this world's story. Right now the most important thing to know, though, is that you are technically dead. Revealing you're not dead would put all of us in danger."_

"_From Kira, correct?"_

"_Yes. From Kira."_

_He pressed his index finger to his mouth in thought. "Who is Kira?" he asked._

_I pulled my lips into a thin line, then replied, "Light Yagami is Kira."_

"_So… I was right…."_

"_Yes. You were right. But you still need proof, and besides, you're dead, so you can't tell people that you're L because Light has taken your place. I can't explain things thoroughly, though, because I have to go to your funeral, so…."_

_There was a knock on the door._

"_And that would be Light telling me it's time to go…. Um…"_

"_I need to use the bathroom," Sierra stated loudly, then grabbed L by the wrist and pulled him towards the bathroom._

"_You'll get proof, too," I whispered as he passed, then headed to the door just as the bathroom door closed. "Hi, Light," I greeted upon opening the door. "Nice day, isn't it?"_

_He smirked lightly. "A wonderful day indeed."_

_I laughed. "Looking forward to his funeral, eh, Kira?" I asked, nudging him with my elbow. I couldn't think of any other way off the top of my head to make it obvious he was Kira._

_His smile seemed to literally wipe from his face as he stepped inside and swiftly closed the door. "You do not speak like that in an insecure area, do you understand?" he hissed._

_Anna, sitting cross-legged on the bed, blinked. "I understand. And I'm only seven."_

"_No one comes where I am anyway, and there are no speakers on the security cameras," I shrugged. "Besides, the way I said it, it could have been taken as a joke of sorts. A very sick joke."_

"_Be more careful," he frowned. "Besides, it's time to go." The frown disappeared and he smiled, relaxing again. "We can't be late for Ryuuzaki's funeral."_

* * *

"Light…," I said, attempting to gain his attention.

"You fell at the hand of God, L!"

"Light."

"You've paid for your sins…. The god makes the rules!"

"_Light_."

"You thought you could beat me. But now, all of my obstacles are gone!"

"Light!"

"…What?" he asked, turning his head to look at me.

Ryuk chuckled.

_Oops, I forgot Ryuk was there. _"I'm sorry to interrupt your celebratory moment, but I thought right now would be a good time to explain myself… you know, for the night you got your memories returned."

"Yes…," Light responded, shifting his whole body so he was facing me.

"I know what you're thinking," I said. "I know you think I was doing it to save L."

"That's right."

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but that assumption is incorrect…. I was doing to save _you_. You see, as I before mentioned, you will eventually sacrifice your mind to the power you have, and it corrupts you so much…. So… I figured if you never got your memories back, then you would be safe, and I could somehow find a way for someone else to be corrupted…."

He smirked as his eyebrows raised. "So you care about me?"

"I care about a lot of people," I sniffed in reply.

Ryuk was chuckling again.

For the record, most of this was a big, fat lie. It was true that I cared for Light as a person, but I also cared for L and Mello and Near and, most of all, I cared for Anna and Sierra and Sam. My only connections to home, and surely lifelong friends that I'd known for quite a while. I cared about human beings, as a human being myself. I cared about _life_. No… I wasn't trying to ward off your memories so someone else could kill people off, Light, nor did I do it for just your own protection. I did it to help everyone. And that includes the criminals.

But I didn't say that aloud.

* * *

When I entered my hotel room, I was met with an image of Anna and L sitting at a table, with Sierra bringing over a tray of brownies. "Nata—Natsumi!" Sierra greeted. "I made brownies! And tea!"

I chuckled softly and hung up my jacket, then made my way over to the table. "I assume you have more time now?" asked L without looking at me, taking a brownie from the tray.

"Alright," I sighed. "Me… and Michiyo… and Yui… and Sayuri…. We all come from a different… _reality_, so to speak. Where we're from," I continued, heading to the area where I hung my clothes, "there are people by the names of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata who… created a manga titled Death Note." I lifted the manga out of one of the bags, then headed back to the table to sit down. "This manga is about a boy named Light Yagami who finds a notebook and picks it up. He uses it to kill criminals, and comes to be known by the alias 'Kira.' Sound familiar?"

L responded with a curt, "Yes."

"I know that this whole story seems outlandish," I said, looking down at the manga box set in my hands, "but I have the proof right here." I pushed the manga across the table to him, and he began to examine it. "You heard the proof Light is Kira through the bathroom door. And this… this manga, if you don't quite believe it is fact, it has things that have already happened that I shouldn't know about." L began flipping through the first volume as he listened. "So…."

"How did you get here, then, if you're supposedly from another reality?" L asked as he skimmed through some of the manga's pages.

I blinked. "Oh, um, actually, we're not completely sure _how _we got here…. I guess it's smart to not leave out any details…. Hm…. Our world is very similar to yours; it is still called Earth and it has the same countries and such. We come from America… and there's an island there on the east coast called Maxey Island that has a history of disappearances. My mother recently bought that island and… the four of us stayed there for one night… and we woke up somewhere completely different.

"I think it's wise to mention the whole thing that goes on with our eyes, too…. When I first woke up somehow in the Kanto region of Japan, I saw everything as if it were an anime. Michiyo here saw everything realistically…. I discovered later on, as my eyes began seeing things more reality-like, I came up with the theory that our perception on whether or not this is real affects how we see it…. Then there's also the point that I can hear… some people's thoughts."

"You can hear thoughts?" exclaimed Sierra. "Lucky!"

"No fair!" Anna cried.

"Um… well, for the record, I can only read Light's, and I can't really control what I hear."

"Still!" Sierra insisted.

"Well... anyway," I continued, "I'm guessing this may be due to the fact that in the manga and anime, it shows people's thoughts sometimes…."

"And can you send thoughts back?" asked L.

"Not that I know of…."

"Do you exist in this world?"

"I don't think so. We shouldn't, anyway. You don't exist in our world, why should we exist in yours?"

"I see…. Are you from the same time period?"

"Huh? Oh… no. Where we're from, it's 2012."

"2012…," L repeated.

"So… what do you think? Is it at all believable?"

"It would normally be implausible," said L, "but there is sufficient proof in front of me. You couldn't have faked this. You not actually existing here would also explain why I couldn't find your records…."

"So… you believe me?"

"Yes."

"Yay!" Sierra cheered. "Oh, it's so great to have you in our group now, L!"

"Yeah!" Anna agreed.

"I don't think you should be calling me L," L informed them.

"But… L…," protested Anna.

"So, Ryuuzaki?" Sierra asked brightly.

"No. Please call me Ryuusuke."

_Why all the 'Ryuu's? Ryuuga, Ryuuzaki, and now Ryuusuke…._

"Ryuusuke!" Sierra repeated happily.

"Alright…," agreed Anna. "Why do we all have to use these fake names, though? It's too confusing…."

"You are using fake names?" asked L.

"Yeah!" confirmed Sierra.

"Um," I said, "I don't think we were supposed to let him know that…."

"Oh," she replied, "oops."

"No, it is quite alright…," said L. "Thank you for the information. Where did Sayuri go?" he asked.

"Oh, she, uh… went to America," I answered. "To see if she could find a way home through Maxey Island."

"I see…," replied L pensively, stirring his cup of tea.

"Oh, and one more thing, um, Ryuusuke," I said.

"Yes?"

"Well…." And I shot into my explanation of how I was trying to keep everyone alive and happy. Including Kira. No, not Kira... just Light.

* * *

_Maybe I shouldn't have left, _Sam thought as she rode a bus to a neighborhood near Maxey Island. Her home, in another reality. _The whole thing makes me feel so stupid and selfish now…. And going back now would just make me feel even more stupid…. _She frowned. _But still. What was the point in staying anyway? Sure, there's Natalie, but I'm still kinda annoyed about her letting L die. Anna's awesome, too, I guess…._

Sam got off at the stop nearest her home and began making her way to where her home would be. "Wow," she commented, staring at the house before her. "My house exists… but do I?"

An older woman Sam didn't recognize came out of the house to shake out a rug, then hung it over the side of the porch.

"I guess not," Sam mumbled, then turned away. "Now I gotta get to Maxey Island…."

* * *

**And now, L is officially in the loop. :D It's funny, though... looking back from where I am in writing this... the characters are so different... I blame character development.**

**It happens here.**

_**Fun Fact: **_**That whole little "It is done" thing in the flashback? Yeah, I added that after I came up with the title, just so it would fit better...**

**Review?**


	13. Chapter 13

***gasp* THIS IS CHAPTER 13! Do you know what that means...?**

**..._BB is haunting this chapter._**

**...Yay. :3**

_**wdet**_**:**Thank you very much!

**Enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

"L, do you ever sleep?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you sleep?"

"I did."

"No you didn't, you were sitting like that all night."

"I sleep like this."

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Isn't it uncomfortable?"

"No."

"How long did you sleep?"

"An hour, perhaps."

"That's not sleeping!"

"Yes it is."

"You just took a nap, that's all!"

"Whether it be considered a nap or not, I still slept."

"Well, you need more sleep!"

"As long as I have sugar, I am fine."

This was the conversation that I woke up to the next morning. I opened my eyes blearily to see it was Anna and L conversing.

"Oh… good morning Ann…um…Michiyo…. Good morning L… darn it, I mean Ryuusuke," I greeted. I forced myself to sit up.

"Oh, good morning, Natsumi!" Anna grinned.

"Yeah… hi…." It wasn't necessary for me to go back to headquarters. At the moment, the investigation team was deciding what to do next and where to go. Until that was decided, I was to stay here and wait for someone – most likely Light – to tell me where the new headquarters was. "Ryuusuke, why do you always choose 'Ryuu' for the beginning of your name?"

He looked at me. "It's a habit when I'm in Japan. Perhaps it's because 'Ryuu' is one of the closest sounds you can get to the letter L in the Japanese language."

"Oh, yeah… I never thought of it like that…." I slowly swung my feet off the bed to get up. "Meh… mornings…. Anyway, time to make pancakes…." I made my way to the kitchen area, where I got out the pancake mix we'd bought and began making pancakes. "I'm using my dad's secret recipe," I explained as I got out the necessary ingredients.

"Ooh!" Anna cried excitedly. "I love Grandpa's pancakes! I haven't had them in so long…."

"Grandpa?" L repeated.

"Oh, um…."

"What's the point in hiding stuff anymore, Anna?" I asked, then mentally slapped myself. "I mean Michiyo…." I turned to L. "Michiyo and Yui are my brother's daughters. I'm their aunt."

"Ah. What is Sayuri to you then?"

"My best friend," I smiled.

I prepared the pancakes in silence while Anna tried to create real conversation with L. As I poured the batter onto the heated griddle, though, I said quietly, "You know, I feel really bad about not being able to save Watari…."

Anna stopped talking when she heard that and bowed her head sadly. They'd actually had some connection to him, and it'd be a lie if I said she wasn't saddened by his loss.

"You did not know where he was staying," said L in a steady voice. Anna eyed his hands, which were clasping his knees a little tighter than was normal. "You couldn't have saved him. Not unless you could have stopped Rem from killing anyone."

"Yeah…. You… you knew him for a long time, didn't you?"

"Yes. Since I was eight. No… seven."

I wanted very badly to delve into L's past, but I decided it better to not pry, at least for now. Maybe when we were closer. If we ever got closer. I flipped the pancakes thoughtfully.

"How old are you, L?" asked Anna.

L looked up. "Twenty-five."

"Michiyo, you really should be calling him Ryuusuke," I said.

Anna let out a cry of frustration. "I can't remember all of these fake names! You're Natsumi, she's Yui, I'm Michiyo, and now L's Ryuusuke or something like that!"

I sighed as I put the pancakes onto a plate and shut off the griddle. "Michiyo, can you wake Yui up? Breakfast is ready."

"Oh!" Anna cried, and ran to jump on the bed. "Yui!" she yelled. "Breakfast is ready! Time to get up, you lazy bum!"

"I'm _not _a _lazy bum_," Sierra frowned, cracking open her eyes. She stretched.

"Hurry up!" Anna coaxed. "We've got pancakes!"

"Mmm… chocolate chip?"

"No…."

Sierra yawned, then sat up, tiredly getting to her feet.

I set four plates on the table, then set the plate of pancakes in the middle. Anna bounded over to the table and bounced happily into her seat, while Sierra trudged wearily behind her. "Aren't you coming to eat with us?" I asked L.

"I can eat here."

"Oh no you can't!" I responded, then walked over to him and grabbed his wrist to pull him to the table. He stumbled awkwardly to his feet. "We are going to sit together, and we will interact. Capiche?"

He looked at me blankly. "Alright."

I sat him down at the table, then went to my own seat. "Anyway," I said, sitting down, "happy late birthday."

"Oh, yeah!" agreed Anna.

"Yeah, happy birthday, L!" Sierra beamed. "Oh, I mean Ryuusuke…."

"Ah—Thank you."

I grinned. "I bet you haven't been told that for years."

"No."

There was a bought of silence. After swallowing a bite of my pancake, I commented, "You know what I think is just plain sad?"

"That L died?" asked Anna.

"Well, yeah. But that's obvious."

"That L was supposed to die right after his birthday?" asked Sierra.

"Well, yeah… but that's not what I was talking about."

L didn't say a word. It must have been weird for him, discussing his death and all….

"So what, then?" asked Anna.

"Well, I find it just plain sad that the only friends L ever had tried to kill him. Honestly…."

"Friends?" asked L.

"Yeah. You know, Light."

"I never considered Light a friend," L said. "To be honest, I don't like him much at all."

Sierra laughed, and Anna giggled.

_I imagine Sam would laugh right about now too…._ "But wait," I said, "does that mean you never had a friend?"

"That is correct." And he lifted his fork to take a bite of pancake.

"Aw!" Sierra cried, immediately leaning over to give him a hug. (Since L was in his signature position, she pretty much hugged him around the neck.) L set the fork down, deciding against trying to eat while being hugged. "We'll be you're friends!"

"Yeah!" Anna agreed, joining in the hug.

"Group hug!" I cried in delight, and joined in as well.

For the record, it looked like L didn't really know how to react. "Yes, we'll all be friends," he said.

_He's lying again…. _"But you know what, guys?" I said, releasing him. Anna and Sierra followed suit, freeing L from the hug. "L—Well, Ryuusuke, I mean, isn't the type of guy for friends. Maybe after this whole thing is sorted out and he's spent a few years interacting with people, he'll actually feel like he has a friend."

"Maybe," Sierra echoed.

"Maybe," Anna agreed.

* * *

"So, what are you looking at?" Sierra asked, leaning over L's shoulder at the computer that was set atop that little wooden desk in the corner.

"Is this the area where you lived?" L responded. Anna and I went over to look at whatever he had brought up on the screen. It showed a map of our local area. Our home. It was familiar territory in a foreign world.

"Oh… uh, yeah. That would be it," I said, slightly thrown off.

"Yep," replied Sierra.

"Yeah, we live there!" Anna cried happily.

"Michiyo, how old are you?" L asked.

"I'm gonna be eight in three days, on November fourteenth!" Anna proclaimed proudly.

"Thank you, Michiyo." L turned to me. "Natsumi, how long will I be staying here? I will have to leave soon; Light visits occasionally, and I cannot be caught living, and if I were found here, you, Michiyo, and Yui would be in danger as well. Also, soon you'll be off on the investigation again, and won't be here most of the time."

"Well, true…," I admitted. "But Ryuusuke, you can't go outside like that. You're too recognizable, so someone from the Kira case could recognize you easily, plus there's Misa…."

"I see your point," agreed L. "What are you suggesting?"

"Well, take a shower, for one," said Sierra. "Your hair is greasy…."

"Is that necessary?"

"Ryuusuke," I said, raising my eyebrows, "either you take a shower, or we shove your head in the sink and wash your hair ourselves."

"…I can wash my own hair," he replied.

"Now what to do about clothes…," I mumbled.

"Is he gonna be fancy?" asked Anna.

"He _could _be. L, what would you prefer?"

"I'd prefer to keep the clothes I have, but that does not seem to be an option until I, at the very least, reach a different country. My request is to keep it simple."

"Simple…. Would simple pants, a shirt, and a tie with a jacket do?"

"It's as good as any other outfit…."

"Alright!" Sierra cheered. "We get to see a fancy L!"

* * *

"…To be honest, I don't like this at all," L commented, scratching his temple as he looked down at his new clothes. He was currently in his normal attire, but he had bathed and thus his hair was much less greasy. It looked pettable.

"He looks like _Madara_," said Anna.

"Or—or _Mikami_," said Sierra.

"No," I frowned. "His hair is still poofy. He looks like _L_. …Just with softer hair."

"…Can I pet your hair?" asked Sierra hopefully.

"I'd rather you not," L replied.

"Alright," I said, "now, you're good at acting, right?"

L looked at me blankly.

"Right. Dumb question. Anyway, we have to do something about your signature pose."

"I look different enough. I do not need to alter my posture," said L.

"Just to be safe," I shrugged.

"I got it," said Sierra, then put one hand on his chest and the other on his lower back, pushing the two together to cause him to stand upright. His hands stuck forward as though he were imitating a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"No, Yui, you don't need to force him. He can do what he wants," I said hastily, pulling her away from him.

L immediately went back to his original slouching position, looking irritatedly at Sierra.

"Eh, sorry?" offered Sierra.

L continued staring at her with slightly narrowed eyes, looking annoyed.

"So where are you going?" I asked quickly.

L looked at me, his eyes wide and blank again. "I am going to America."

"Really?" asked Anna.

"Maybe—Maybe you can find Sayuri there!" Sierra squeaked.

"Perhaps," L replied.

"I honestly hope you do find her…," I sighed. "Who knows what could happen to her while she's out there… all alone…." I pursed my lips. "Knowing her, she'd get in trouble pretty easily…."

"Can I go with L?" asked Anna, looking up at me hopefully.

"Well… er… I'd say no…" I replied slowly, "…but I guess it'd be up to _Ryuusuke_ on whether or not you can go with him."

"No," L said bluntly.

"Wha-? Why not?" cried Anna.

"You should stay here. With your sister."

"He has a point," I agreed.

"Well," Sierra assured Anna, "maybe we can talk to him once in a while."

"_Will_ we keep in touch?" I asked, looking to L.

"Yes. Speaking of which, I need a way to contact you. I have some spare money in the bank account under Hideki Ryuuga, so I am able to get myself a cell phone…. However, I will be needing your contact information."

"Oh, um, yeah," I agreed, taking my cell phone out of my pocket. Anna took hers out too, and Sierra grabbed hers off the bed. Each of us gave L our numbers, which he was apparently able to remember in his head considering he didn't get a piece of paper out to write it down.

"But when will you be leaving?" Anna asked, jumping up on one of the beds to sit down.

L looked up. "Three days," he replied. "That gives me a good amount of time to obtain a plane ticket."

"And you can pay for them, right?" I asked.

"Yes."

"What's your cover story?" Sierra asked excitedly.

"I could say I'm an American returning to America. I was visiting old friends for a few months that had moved to Japan, and then came back to look for work. I could give your aliases, if necessary. I could also mention I am looking for another friend, which would be Sayuri. That is what I could say."

"Alright," I said, "sounds good to me."

Anna yawned, then lay down on the bed. "I'm tired," she stated.

"It _is_ getting late," I smiled. "Get your pajamas on, Michiyo."

"Okay," she said, sitting up, then slid off the bed feet-first and walked to the clothes area to get her pajamas.

"Hey L," I said absently, "out of curiosity, have you ever actually laid down?"

"Yes," he replied simply.

"When was the last time you did that, though?"

"Hmm… seventeen years, I believe."

I blinked at him.

"Oh my _gosh_!" cried Sierra. "You've got to actually lay down sometime!" As if to demonstrate, she flopped onto the bed, lying on her back. "It's so comfyful!"

"Really, L," I said, "you need more sleep." I blinked. "I meant Ryuusuke."

"I'm not gonna force you this time, just try it! If it's not comfortable then you can get back up, but I swear to you it's comfy!" she insisted.

Anna came out of the bathroom. "What are we talking about?"

"L needs to—to lay down for once!" Sierra responded.

"Ryuusuke," I corrected.

"Meh!"

"You think he'd actually be able to fall asleep like that?" asked Anna.

"Maybe," I responded.

"That would be really awesome and stuff!" cried Sierra.

"Yeah…," agreed Anna.

"We never really see him sleep, do we?" I asked.

"Nope!" Sierra replied.

"But how do we convince him to…?" I asked, then looked over the bed.

"When did you get there?" Sierra cried.

"I feel very uncomfortable and overly exposed," L said matter-of-factly, then sat up, bending his knees in preparation of returning to his normal posture.

"Wait, Ryuusuke," I said. "That's what the blanket's for. It doesn't just keep you warm; it gives a better sense of security."

"C'mon, please?" asked Sierra, clasping her hands together in almost a pleading gesture.

"It's pointless," replied L.

"No it's not! If it does help you sleep, you'll get the first good sleep you've had in – What was it? – seventeen years!"

"I have no intention of sleeping for very long tonight," L responded.

"Sleeping keeps you healthy, though!" Anna cried.

"And sleeping does help concentration," I pointed out.

"Sugar already aids me in that aspect," L countered expressionlessly.

"But—but…," Sierra tried to argue, but couldn't come up with an argument.

I helped her. "Sleep is one of the simple luxuries of life. It's a… a… – Dang it, what's the word…? – …an _abnegation_ to not sleep. I think that's the word, anyway…. Too much sleep is just plain silly, but too little is a bit unhealthy to not just the body, but the mind." I tapped my temple. "Plus, when you're sleeping, you're able to dream… and dreams can be wonderful."

"And you get to relax for once!" Sierra added.

"If I lie down for too long," said L, "my body would shut down and crash because the sugar in my body would be unbalanced. I don't consider this 'relaxing.'"

"Oh… uh…," said Anna.

"But you can go right to sleep then," Sierra pointed out. "A crash would just make you really tired and if you're laying down then you could go right to sleep!"

"I do not plan on sleeping."

"L, you seem to have forgotten how nice sleeping is," I said, walking over to him. "Just lay down and sleep for once."

"No. Natsumi, I do not want to."

"You gotta, though!" Anna cried. "Aren't you tired?"

"No," L responded flatly.

"I'll give you a donut if you do," Sierra coaxed.

"I would have a donut either way."

"Oh yeah…. Meh."

"Aha!" I cried. "Ryuusuke, on the plane you cannot sit the way you normally do. At least, you can't while you're going into the air. You have to wear a seatbelt."

"…True," L conceded. "A public plane is much different than a private jet."

"Well, won't your body crash if you sit normally, too?"

"Yes."

"Well then, L, won't you end up falling asleep on the plane?"

"Possibly."

"Do you _want _to fall asleep on the plane?"

"Preferably not. However, once the plane is in the air I can return to my normal position."

"True, but what if you fall asleep before that happens?"

"I will simply stay awake."

"Ah, but won't that be easier if you're already rested up?"

"Yes."

"So wouldn't it be logical for you to get some sleep now, if you don't want to fall asleep on a plane? A _public _plane, with a whole bunch of random people on it?"

"Yes."

"Then lay down so you can sleep!" I said, smiling in triumph.

"No."

I sighed, triumphant smile gone. "Oh, _come on!_" I took a deep breath. "Okay. Tell me this: _why _don't you want to sleep?"

"Yeah!" Sierra agreed.

"I still have research to do," L replied. "Sleeping would be of no use if I have the ability to keep working."

"'Of no use?"" I asked.

"It's not a waste!" Sierra insisted.

"Besides," I added, "you'll have all the time you want to research once you get to America."

"That is true," L conceded, "but I'd rather get things done as quickly as possible."

"L, what is it you're trying to research, anyway?" I asked.

"I am planning on getting evidence that Light Yagami is Kira," L responded. "You have inspired me. Those rules are fake, if only I can prove it somehow..."

"But you can't," Anna pointed out.

"You're dead!" Sierra cried.

"That is a fact," I agreed, gesturing to Sierra. "You can't exactly go about as L, and you'd have to do things on your own…. Plus, in order to convict Light and put him in jail, you'd have to show yourself and reveal you're not dead, which you just can't do."

"That makes things all the more challenging," he replied.

"Actually," I said, "you can't solve _anything _as L until this whole Kira case thing is over, because with Light being L you can't also be L because then there would be two Ls which would not only confuse the public but also alert the others that either you are alive or there is an imposter out there. Whoa… that's confusing…. L can't be L… so L is not L… so…. Wow. Weird. Anyway, you can't be Eraldo Coil or Danuve, either, because the Kira investigation team knows you're them, too."

"I know that," said L. "I won't particularly enjoy it, but I will work as a civilian."

"But you won't have access to all that important stuff, then," Sierra pointed out.

"Then it shall be a challenge for me, and that is what I do: find challenges for myself."

"Like BB," Anna commented.

"I think L had that characteristic first," I pointed out.

"Whatever."

"In any case, you can't investigate the Kira case anymore," I said, looking to L.

He seemed to contemplate this. "Alright."

_I can't tell whether he's lying or not…. Meh…._

"Then what will you do?" asked Sierra.

"Investigate your getting here. I'm curious."

"Oh… alright," I said slowly. "I don't think you'll get anywhere with that, though."

"He's _L,_" said Sierra.

"And maybe he'll find Sam—I mean Sayuri!" Anna grinned.

"However," said L, "if an opportunity arises to obtain evidence against Light, I will act."

"Eh…," said Sierra, defeated.

"Oh my gosh," I sighed. "L, just sleep."

"I am not L."

"Oh. Whatever. Ryuusuke, just sleep."

"I prefer to stay awake."

I frowned. "Okay. Now I'm just getting frustrated."

"I apologize."

"For the record, I know that wasn't sincere," I said. "In any case… _sleep, _gosh darn it! Just lay down just this once; you don't ever have to do it again if you don't want to!"

"I don't think L wants to lie down," said Anna.

"Well, yeah, obviously…," I mumbled.

"You are very insistent," L commented. "Why?"

"I just want you to experience the beauty of sleep!" I cried. "Your life is too stressful. Orphaned as a child, living in solidarity most of your life, all of these supposedly unsolvable cases that sometimes still have fatalities despite your efforts, you just lost the only person you could almost consider a friend, and now your considered dead and therefore have to go out in the open after all of these years of isolation, acting as a civilian! Sleeping helps relieve stress, you know!"

"Everyone needs sleep," said Sierra.

"Yeah," I agreed, putting my hands on L's shoulders and gently beginning to push him into a laying position. "Just lie down and try putting a blanket on. Okay? You can get up again if you don't like it."

Looking at him lying there, I could just imagine Sam. '_He kinda looks like a squashed frog,' _she'd say.

I smiled at the thought, then pulled the blanket up to cover him. "Okay. Now, was that so bad?" I asked.

"I still don't like it," he replied.

I sighed, turning away. "Oh well…."

"I don't get it," said Sierra. "It should be comfy."

"Maybe he's just too used to being in that crouching position," I shrugged.

"Well, _I _want to go to sleep," said Anna, lying down on the bed Sierra was sitting on.

"Good night, Anna," said Sierra. "Oh, I mean Michiyo."

"Yeah good night, Michiyo," I smiled.

"Good night," Anna replied, curling up to go to sleep. "I miss Baby, though," she mumbled. "And Blankie." Baby was the stuffed bear that she'd had since birth, and Blankie was the blanket she'd had just as long.

"You've been able to sleep so far," Sierra pointed out.

"I miss Mommy, too," Anna said.

Sierra smiled with a vague sense of ruefulness. "Now you know how I feel about my mom."

"…Be quiet, Sierra."

"It's Yui."

"Whatever."

"I wonder if L misses _his _parents," Sierra commented. "I wonder what his childhood was like…." She turned to L, opening her mouth to speak. My gaze shifted to him as well.

He was sleeping.

"He looks so peaceful…," I murmured.

"_Hey Michiyo_," Sierra said in a strained whisper. "_L is sleeping._"

"He is?" she asked, sitting up. "Really? I wanna see…." She made her way over to us. She just looked at him for a moment, then left to go back to bed without another word.

"I hope he has good dreams," Sierra commented in a soft voice.

"Me too," I agreed. "It makes me wonder what kind of dreams he would have…."

"I wonder if you can read dreams like thoughts."

"Huh. Maybe…. I wonder if any one of us can read L's thoughts."

"I dunno, but my guess is they'd be very confusing…."

I chuckled. "Probably."

"Oh… right. Natsumi, while we were in the big building, Michiyo and I played some hangman." She went over to her little pile of stuff and got out a slip of paper that was crinkled and folded up. She sat on the bed Anna was lying on, and I sat across from her.

"Alright," I said.

"Well, whenever we wanted to talk about something related to our world or this anime, we would either write it down while covering it, or whisper it while covering our mouths. During these conversations… Sam told us who she fangirled over."

"L?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"Mello?" I asked.

She nodded. "But see, I fangirled over him first, and so I thought she should pick a different favorite character…. I'm starting to think me being mad about that is one of the reasons Sam left…."

"No, that's mostly my fault," I assured her. "That, and the bad mood she was in. She can't really control her actions when she's in one of those moods."

"Well, anyway, here's one of the hangman games we played. I just thought I'd explain that bit so you'd get it better…."

"Okay," I nodded, taking the paper and opening it up.

_Go go Mello go L die Light go to Heckll I'm not perfect I'm not great I am everything you hate Just kidding But still Mello is mine (to Sayuri) pick a new fave character_

I blinked at the paper. (Heckll was our special word for Hell when around Anna, just so you know.) "Wow. You really don't like Light, do you?" I asked.

"No, not really…."

"Well… you write in here like… I mean, you write as if Mello is still just a character, and you're still just a fangirl. He's a real person now, you know…." _And I somehow doubt he'll end up with either of you…. I don't wanna actually say that, though._

"Well, it's not like I actually hate Sayuri!" Sierra defended. "And this really _is _just him as a character…. I'm not talking about the real thing, because I know he'd probably hate me."

_Sierra isn't taking that Mello thing seriously, _I realized, _but I think Sam is…. Oh, the fangirl fights…. Sigh…._"But how did Sam react to this?"

Sierra looked down. "Well… she didn't take it very well…. First she got really quiet, but then she started ranting angrily at me…. We've been in a tense relationship ever since…."

"Oh…." Well, that explained why Sam had snapped at Sierra so harshly right before she ran away. I looked up. "I wonder how Sam… I mean… Sayuri… is doing right now…."

* * *

**Soo... Yeah...**

**Tell me: who do you think will get Mello later on, huh?**

**Also: I'm gonna do an extra update tomorrow. Why? Because today was my last day of school. :D (Testing, really, but whatever.)**

_**Fun Fact: **_**Anna and Sierra actually _did _do that hangman thing. It was awhile ago, but I actually still have it somewhere...**

**Review? ...Or else BB will come for yooouuu!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Yay, somewhat double update thing! :D Two updates in two days~**

**I hope I'm not irritating anyone with the long-ish chapters.**

**Now, someone kindly told me that I never mentioned whether people like Near and Matt and Mello would come into this story. Well, I shall now proudly inform you that they most definitely will come in. *grin* And I'm looking forward to it~**

_**paige g**_**: **Yeah, the whole 'L sleeping' thing is a little unexpected. Surprises are nice, though. ^^

**Also, YAY Sam gets a big part in this chapter! X3 And Anna gets a snippet too! It makes me so happy!**

* * *

"Well," Sam commented, "sleeping on Maxey Island doesn't work, so… there's no point in staying here…." She gathered the small amount of things she had, then headed back to the mainland by the small bridge that connected Maxey Island to the actual civilization nearby. "So," she asked herself, "what the hell am I supposed to do next?" She sighed. "Maybe I can visit where Natalie's house is supposed to be…." She boarded a bus, paying the driver the right amount.

She rung the bell once they reached the fire hall across the street from my house, and the bus stopped to let her off. Once she was on the pavement and the bus door was closed, she muttered to herself, "Jeez, the way this is going, I'm actually starting to get used to the whole bus thing…." She gazed at the white house with black shutters across the street. "Well, there's Natalie's house…. It's too bad we don't exist. Actually, it'd be very weird if we did…." Sam looked both ways, then crossed the street. "I'm almost curious as to who lives there now, though…."

She almost went to the back door, where she would normally go to be greeted, but then remembered these were different people and instead went onto the front stoop to ring the doorbell. There was a short period of time where Sam just stood there, waiting, and then realized she had no idea what her cover story would be. _Um, okay, let's see…. Why am I here? Um, I moved around the corner and want to meet the people in the neighborhood…. No, my family _might _be moving around here, so I'm just taking a look around at the community…. Yeah… that'll work._

Then there was the click of a lock, the door opened, and a woman opened the screen door to see who had come. The lady had very short - so short it actually stuck up - wavy hair that was such a dark brown it almost looked black. "Hello there," she said, looking at Sam with a smile. They were around the same height.

_It's… it's Natalie's mom…, _Sam thought confusedly. _Natalie's mom is here…? _There was the sound of wailing in the background that was slowly dying down coming from in the house. "Um, hi. My family might be moving around here soon, so I'm looking around to see the sort of people in the neighborhood."

"Oh, that's cool!" my mom replied. "Where are you moving from?"

"Um, that old apartment complex that's being destroyed," Sam replied, thinking fast."My name is Sam, by the way." she said, changing the subject.

"You can call me Mrs. Hester. Well, Sam, would you like to come in?"

"Sure," she responded, making her way in.

"How old are you, Sam?" my mother asked, closing the door behind them.

"I'm fourteen," she replied.

"Really? My daughter Natalie is seven."

_Natalie is seven years old…? No wonder I wasn't at my house! This is before I moved there!_

"I'm seven _and three quarters,_" seven-year-old me corrected, coming into the front hall and joining the conversation. Her eyes were red and puffy, as though she'd been crying, and she was clutching a squirming black cat in her arms.

_That cat must be Kitty, _Sam realized. _The first cat Natalie ever got. _She eyed Little Natalie's hair. _Her hair is long; almost to her waist. When did she cut it…? When I met her, it wasn't _that_ long…. And she has bangs!_ "Wait, isn't it Thursday? Shouldn't you be at school?"

"We're off," Little Natalie replied quietly.

"It's Veteran's Day," her mother explained.

"Oh yeah!" Sam said. "I forgot!" In actuality, she had no idea it was Veteran's Day. In fact, she was lucky to know it was Thursday. "What grade are you in, Natalie?"

"Second," she replied as the cat in her arms managed to jump out of her grasp. She watched him leave, looking irritated. "Hey!" she cried. "Come back!" She seemed to consider chasing after him, but decided against it. "So, what's your name?" she asked Sam, looking up.

"You can call me Sam," Sam responded.

"Alright. Hi Sam."

"Hey. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," she mumbled, then looked at her mom. "Why is she here?"

"She might be living around here soon," her mom replied with a smile.

"Cool!" Little Natalie exclaimed, bounding over to Sam. "Then we can be friends!"

Sam forced a laugh. "Sure!"

"You can tell your parents that the school system here is really good," said Little Natalie's mom. "It teaches well, and their performance of the arts branch - you know, acting - is _wonderful_."

"I bet the school's better than mine," Sam replied. "I hate my school." _It's almost like I'm back in my world, _Sam thought. _It's just… I'm in the past…. Weird._

"I like my school," said Little Natalie. "My teachers are Mrs. Heckler and Mrs. Huff and they're awesome."

"I'm glad you like your school," Sam said. _I still wish I could have stayed there. _Sam had gone to the same school as I had for awhile, but then she moved again...

"Yeah," said Little Natalie's mom, "and the community itself is great. It was good even before Kira came along!"

Little Natalie stiffened, and Sam blinked. _Well, there goes that sense of familiarity. _"Yeah," Sam agreed. "So then, what are your views on Kira?" she asked Little Natalie's mom.

"Well, the whole idea kinda freaks me out. I mean, he's killing people with heart attacks, and that's a bit _freaky_, you know what I mean? It's a Twilight Zone sort of thing!" Little Natalie's mother replied. "But the whole idea on the killing of the criminals… I'm okay with it. I find that intriguing, actually. After all, if our own law enforcement can't deal with it, then let him do his job."

"I can understand that opinion…," Sam said slowly. _Wow. This is weird. Natalie's mom… supporting Kira. _"But then, what about Lind L. Taylor? Kira killing him proves he's out to kill L…."

"Well, what do you expect?" she asked. "Kira's not going to just let L catch him, is he? That's what those kinds of people get for trying to put him on death row. It's kill or be killed in that situation."

"I see," said Sam. _Okay. That's just scary. Now Natalie's mom is supporting the murder of L. But…. _"Natalie, what about you? What do you think?"

Little Natalie looked up at me, then beamed. "Kira is saving the world. That's what I think."

_Oh. That's creepy too._

"What about you?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

_Gotta lie here. _"I think Kira is doing a good thing, ridding the world of all the bad people." _Ugh. I am completely contradicting what I really think. _"Although… I probably need to get going before my mom decides it's time to leave. Sorry."

"No, that's alright," Little Natalie's mom smiled.

"Would it be alright if I came again, even if I don't get the house nearby?" Sam asked.

"Sure!" Little Natalie's mom replied. "Come anytime, as long as you can see a car in the driveway."

Sam forced a smile. "Thanks. Bye, then!"

"Bye!" Little Natalie and her mom called as Sam went out the door.

It was only after Sam had gone across the street and was behind the fire hall when she thought to herself, _Okay, so we exist. How wonderful. So… now I gotta find a hotel to stay at._ She began walking briskly on her way._ I can't sleep in Maxey Island's woods every night._

* * *

I woke up feeling comfortable and well rested. At first, as I lay there, I thought I was back home, in my bed. I thought it was summer vacation, and I was about to wake up to a nice, relaxing day of watching anime, writing, and reading. I thought that my mom was already at work, that I would have the house to myself for the day. A nice thought. I thought that I was home. But then I heard the breathing of Sierra nearby, and was hit with a wave of homesickness that, surprisingly enough, petered out quickly.

I turned over to look at the clock – it was 11:47. _Oh my god, how did I sleep that late? _I thought._ I can never sleep that late. Either the sun wakes me up, or Anna wakes me up. _I sat up, and first looked to find Anna. She was reading the manga. _She shouldn't be reading that…. _I looked to the window. _The shades are down…. Who put them down, though? Anna? No, she likes sunlight…. _I looked around the room. _It must have been L. _L was sitting in his crouching position on the wooden chair by the desk, eating a donut as he researched whatever he was researching on the laptop we had.

I got to my feet. "Good morning," Anna smiled.

"Good morning," I replied, and headed to the kitchen to find some form of breakfast. Most likely a donut.

"Yes, good morning, Natsumi," said L from his chair, without looking at me.

"Good morning," I answered distractedly, finding a box of donuts on the table.

"I closed the shades for you," L said from his chair. "You find the sunlight annoying in the morning."

"Um… yeah… thanks…." Then the memory that he'd fallen asleep came. "How'd you sleep?"

"Surprisingly well," he replied.

"Have any weird dreams?" I asked.

"No."

I looked at him as I set my donut on the paper towel that was my plate. "Did you have _any _dreams?"

"Not that I remember."

"Hm," I said thoughtfully, then poured myself a glass of milk. _You know, _I thought as I took a bite of my donut, _I've gotten used to having L around all the time. I'm gonna miss him._ "When'd you wake up?"

"Around six o'clock," he responded, then took a sip of his sugary coffee. I had a feeling Anna had something to do with him waking up so early, but then, he _was _L.

"Ah," I said, then ate my breakfast. Soon, Sierra was up, and we had a pretty uneventful but relaxing day. Sierra, Anna, and I conversed. We occasionally tried to start a normal conversation with L, which never worked. He'd either get confused, take jokes seriously, or answer logically and thoroughly to the simplest question. Yes, it would take him a long while to act like a normal person. But then again, who said we didn't like him just the way he was?

The day passed relatively quickly and before I knew it, the day was winding down to a gradual end. Soon, I was having fantastical dreams of giddy llamas and coffee-filled cake. I think I had one where my two cats were foaming at the mouth because they had found a supply of mints and tried to eat them….

Anna didn't have such dreams. At first, they were odd dreams that she wouldn't even remember in the morning, but soon she had a nightmare. It had been a while since she'd had one, so it was no surprise that she had one then. Actually, it was a surprise she went that long without one – Anna had a tendency to have nightmares. And so, she woke up at 3:30 am. Normally, she'd go back to sleep quickly and then forget about the entire thing the next morning, but for some obscure reason, this particular dream scared her to the point where she could do nothing but lie awake. She wanted nothing more than to find Baby and Blankie within her reach.

Her eyes, intentionally kept wide for fear of something bad happening if she closed them, shifted to the only form of light in the room: the computer screen in front of L. After a moment of waiting for sleep to come, Anna tiredly sat up and slid off the bed in search of some form of comfort. Even if it was L's logical opinion.

"Michiyo, you're awake," L commented, not so much as glancing at her as she shuffled towards his corner.

"I had a nightmare," she explained, rubbing one of her eyes. "I can't get back to sleep."

"Why not?"

To Anna, it seemed like one of the most obvious questions in the world. "I'm scared."

"The dream was not real."

"Yeah… but…." Anna looked to the ground. "I… I don't have Baby or Blankie and Mommy and Daddy are gone…. I dunno if I'll ever even see them again, and then… there's a murderer trying to kill me and my sister and my aunt plus Sam…. I wanna go home." Anna kept her homesick tears at bay. (Cry in front of L? I think not!) Anna, not knowing what else to do, hugged the analytical detective and clung to him for some sort of comfort, squeezing her eyes shut in some vague hope that she could use her imagination to pretend she was home. That was all she wanted at that point. _All I want is to go home, _she thought. _All I want is to see home again._

"Michiyo."

"What?" she mumbled, disappointed he had ruined her imaginary vision. For whatever reason, it seemed that L was being pulled out of her grasp. She'd say that perhaps he simply didn't want a hug, but she herself felt like she was being pulled away. And it was for this reason she opened her eyes. _What's happening? _she thought.

"To be honest, I'm not quite sure myself," replied L.

_Did I say that aloud?_

"Perhaps not…."

Disregarding L's strange new ability to read her thoughts, Anna looked around. She could see the room on Maxey Island. They were there. They were back in her world, but… everything was black around the edges, as though she were about to pass out. As though it were just a dream. And then there was the fact that L was getting harder and harder to hold on to.

"Michiyo, do not let go."

She nodded dumbly, clinging to his neck and clutching his shirt tightly. She could feel herself being pulled along with him, at first at a slow, creeping pace, then accelerating so quickly that she felt she was flying. _Kinda like a roller coaster, _she thought. Then it abruptly stopped and gravity took hold again, and the momentum knocked Anna over and sent L off of his chair, leaving him sprawled on the ground.

"Well," L commented as he got to his feet again to return to his chair, "that was interesting. It seems I am an anchor."

"What?" Anna asked confusedly.

"Never mind, Michiyo."

"What just happened, though?" she asked, then looked at the clock. "And how is it 6:30 already?"

"I assume we almost made it back to your world, but the reality of the place wasn't solid. I think I may have kept you from staying there… no, perhaps I just brought you back. It's just as likely I wasn't the one hindering your ability to return…."

Anna could only blink confusedly in reply, then went back to bed, nightmare completely forgotten. I woke up that morning to find her still asleep.

* * *

The next day, early in the morning, we found ourselves at the airport, bidding L farewell.

"It's so _weird _to see you in a suit!" Sierra exclaimed.

"It's very… uncomfortable," L responded, tugging at the knot of his tie.

It was soon time for L to board the plane, at which I hurriedly hugged him – the hug turned into another one of those awkward group hugs where L simply stood there. "Bye!" I called. "Keep an eye out for Sayuri, and don't get into trouble!"

"Bye!" Anna and Sierra cried in unison. L gave a small wave of his hand without turning around, and he was gone.

"I hope we see him again," mumbled Anna.

"I'm sure we will," I said, and began leading them to the airport's exit.

"How long does it take for Mello and Near to come in again?" asked Sierra.

I smiled. "About five years."

"Oh…. I don't have much patience…."

"That's alright," I shrugged. "Who knows, maybe Ryuusuke will come up with something to save everyone."

When we reached our hotel room, we opened the door to find a note on the floor that had been slid under the door. It read:

_Natsumi, the investigation will continue starting tomorrow. Meet Matsuda and Mogi at the police station tomorrow morning at 7:30 am. They will take you to the new headquarters._

There was no signature, but it was obvious to me who this was from. Who else would it be from but Light? After all, he _was _the only person who knew where we lived, and his handwriting was something I was already becoming familiar with. Maybe because it was so neat.

I just hoped I wouldn't be seeing our names written in the same fashion.

So, the next day I found myself working on the investigation again. In an apartment. _You know, _I thought, _I really do wonder about Sam. I hope she's doing alright. _I glanced at my pocket, which contained my cell phone. _I'd call her, but… I'm awkward with on-the-phone stuff…. Especially if I'm the one calling. After all, she was the one who was angry; for all I know, she still hates us. I guess I'll just have to wait for Sam to call me…. _I looked at Light, who was sitting in front of a computer.

It was to my great surprise when my cell phone suddenly began to ring. …At which everyone turned to look at me. _Is it Sam? _I thought anxiously as I awkwardly pulled it out. "Sorry," I mumbled, then began walking away as I flipped the phone open. "Hello?"

"This is Leonard."

_Leonard?_ "Um… hello…."

"You don't remember me? Leonard DeNero. Your friend from America."

Then I realized that this was obviously L. "Oh, hi!"

"Hello. I was just calling to inform you I have returned to America safely, and to make you aware of how to contact me. I assume your phone will have my number now?"

"Yeah…. Say, um, Leonard, did you find…?"

"No. There is no sign of Sayuri as of yet."

"Oh, alright."

"Yes, well, I don't want to take you away from whatever you're doing."

"Yeah… bye!"

"Goodbye… ah, one more thing, Natsumi."

"Yeah?"

"Tell Michiyo happy birthday for me."

And then he hung up, before I could reply. I smiled. "Sure."

* * *

A week passed. Sometime through the week, I called L – aka "Leonard DeNero" – on Sierra's phone and told him of the connected phones thing. He had apparently already known about that (probably from the manga) and advised me to get a new phone specifically so that we could talk without being heard. He also told me that it would be years before the system was developed, but hey, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Friday, November 21, 2004, though, something quite interesting happened regarding Sam. Not knowing what else to do or where else to go, she went back to Little Me's house. And in going there, she found… well, first she just rung the doorbell. Sam could hear a muffled call of, "Natalie, can you get that?"

Little Natalie answered the door with the click of a lock, and looked up at Sam. "Hi!" she greeted. "Um, what was your name again?"

"Sam," Sam replied. _She hasn't met me yet. Well, not me, but…. Oh God, I wonder what little _me's _views on Kira are. I really hope I don't support him…._

"Are you living here, then?" she asked.

Sam then noticed her eyes were brighter now – they weren't red and puffy like she had been crying, like before. "No," Sam said. "My parents found a different house." _I wonder how Natalie and the others are doing…. I hope they'll call…._

"Aw," said Little Natalie, "I wish you lived around here. I never have anyone to play with around here."

_That was repetitive. But then, she's only seven…. Hey, she's Anna's age._

"Come on in!" she said, grabbing Sam by the wrist. "My brother's here. Did you know I have a brother? His name's Tyler, and he's twenty-five I think, so technically I'm an only child 'cause he already moved out. He has kids, too, so that means I'm an aunt! Annalisa was born last Friday, isn't that awesome?"

"Um, yeah," Sam replied confusedly. "Very awesome." _Anna was born exactly a week ago. So… it was Anna's birthday? Oops…._

"And then there's Sierra, who's almost my age. I didn't even know about her until a few days ago. She's not staying with my brother for very long though; she needs to go back to her mommy."

"Yeah…." _Sierra sometimes mentions how she misses her mom…. I wonder what happened there…._

"See, this is my kitchen! And there's Mommy – you know her already. That's Tyler and that's Sierra, see?"

"Hi, everyone," Sam said awkwardly.

"Oh, hi Sam!" Little Natalie's mom greeted.

"Oh, hey," greeted Tyler, Little Natalie's brother, running his hand through his dark, already-thinning hair. He had deep shadows rimming his eyes, too, Sam noticed, though still not as dark as L's. "Who are you?"

"Well, I was gonna move near here but I didn't so yeah…."

"Oh, Sam, I'm about to go," said Little Natalie's mom. "I'm in a play; you've heard of _The Diary of Anne Frank_, right?"

"Um, yeah. You're in the play?"

"Yeah!" she responded. "But, I have to go. You can stay if you want, Tyler will be watching Natalie and Sierra until I get back. I won't be back until much later, so…. I'm sorry. Bye!" She gave Tyler and Little Natalie a quick hug, then hurried out the back door.

"You wanna go upstairs?" Little Natalie asked Little Sierra.

"S-sure," Little Sierra replied.

"Are you coming?" Little Natalie asked Sam.

"Uh… sure." _What else is there to do?_

"Then come on!" she coaxed, running down the hall. Sierra ran after her, and Sam began walking behind as Tyler began shuffling through one of his bags.

"Shit," he muttered. "Uh, hey Sam," he called.

Sam turned. "Yeah?"

"Uh… how old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"Okay… you're old enough, do you think you could watch Natalie and Sierra for a few minutes? I forgot my cell phone at my house, and Jamie said she'd call me…."

"Sure…," Sam replied slowly.

"Thanks," he said hastily, then left.

Sam stood there for a moment, remembered she was supposed to be going upstairs, then headed to the staircase to join Little Natalie and Little Sierra. It being late November, it was dark soon and Little Natalie and Little Sierra had fun just playing with the stuffed animals. It was a "fun" game involving magic and dead parents and such.

"You know," Little Sierra commented at one point, when Sam had made her teddy bear join forces with Little Natalie's evil monkey, "Kira really is awesome."

_Not her too, _Sam thought, suppressing the urge to groan.

"Well, yeah," said Little Natalie in reply. "Obviously. He's… like… cleaning out the bad parts to make things cleaner. Making things better."

Sierra grinned. "And he killed Tony."

Sam and Little Natalie looked at her confusedly. "Who's Tony?" Little Natalie asked.

"Mom's boyfriend," Sierra replied. "He's… a bad man."

"How bad?" Sam asked out of curiosity.

"He does bad things like drugs and I saw him chasing Mommy with an ax once."

Sam blinked. _Ah. That's bad, alright._

"Kira… killed Tony, then?" Little Natalie inquired.

"Yeah!" Little Sierra grinned. "Isn't that great? Now, after Mommy does some legal stuff, everything can be better!"

"Kira killed someone you _knew_?" asked Little Natalie.

"Uh-huh. It's weird, since Kira doesn't usually kill people in America, but I guess I just got lucky."

"Yeah, that's… cool," said Sam with a forced smile.

"Yeah," Little Sierra agreed happily. "It is. You know, I saw Tony die, too. It was awesome. I'm just so glad he's gone…." Her eyes darkened. "I didn't really like him."

"Can we please stop talking about Kira?" asked Little Natalie softly, clutching her stomach uncomfortably. "Please?"

"Why?" asked Little Sierra.

"Just…."

_I thought she said she supported Kira, _Sam thought blankly.

"Can we please get back to the game?"

_I just lost The Game._

"Why?" repeated Little Sierra.

"I… I'm scared."

"Scared?" echoed Little Sierra.

"My mommy says it's ans… ang… anxiety, I think…."

_Oh, right, _Sam thought. _Natalie used to have those fear problems or whatever._

"But why be scared?" asked Little Sierra. "Kira's killing bad people, right?"

"But… then… what if he kills me? Or you? Or someone I love?"

_You have no idea how close you are to getting killed by Kira…. Well, technically not _you_, it's older you, but still._

"And dying… I don't wanna die. I know heaven's supposed to come after but… I don't wanna die…." She curled forward, clutching her stomach.

"Well, if you're gonna go to heaven, then it doesn't really matter whether you're dead or not," Little Sierra pointed out.

"It _does _matter!" Little Natalie cried. "It does, it does, it does…!" Her eyes began sprouting tears. "And the worst part is… no one can help you if Kira wants you dead! You—You just die!" she sobbed.

"But why would Kira kill you?" Sam asked tentatively.

"Why _not_?" she cried.

_She really was easily freaked out, wasn't she? _Sam thought.

There was thumping coming from the stairwell, and Tyler ran into the room. "I heard crying. What happened?"

"She's scared," Little Sierra explained simply, pointing to Little Natalie, who was now curled into a little ball, crying into the bed.

After being assured by Tyler that everything was under control and that she could leave, Sam bade her (slightly awkward) farewells to them and went to catch a bus back to her hotel. The first bus she found went a few blocks away from where she stayed, but she was okay with that despite it being so dark out.

Sam, after getting off the bus, made her way to her hotel. _I wonder…. _She slipped through an alley to see if it would work as a shortcut. She blinked in surprise when she found it led her closer to her residence in a shorter distance. With this in mind, she went through to the next alley, hands brushing the walls to ensure she didn't walk into anything. That was, until something – or rather, some_one_ – bumped into her. Actually, it was more of a 'shove against the wall and hold a gun to her forehead' sort of thing.

_Oh, shit, _was her first thought.

Then: _What the hell am I supposed to do?_

"Gimme what you've got," said whoever the random dude was.

Sam's nose wrinkled. _Well, he's drunk. I can smell that much. Okay, think of a plan. Natalie always tells me to think of a plan. Oh my L, how is it I_ _end up attacked by a criminal _now, _when the crime rate is supposed to be going _down_? That's just bad luck…. Okay, how do I get out of this?_ "What if I don't have any money?" she asked.

"Then you die anyway."

_Okay. I don't have money, so… how the hell do I get out of this _alive_? _Her eyes shifted to her pocket. _There's always that piece of the Death Note…. But wouldn't that make me just like Kira? Light, I mean? …Meh, that doesn't matter right now. I just need to survive this…. But… how do I manage to get this guy's name _and _write it down? Hm…._

An idea occurred to her. _I am going to hate myself later, _she thought bitterly. "You got guts," she said in what she hoped was a tough voice. _Actually, I hate myself already. I feel like an idiot. _"Say, can I have your name? I'm sure you're the most awesome criminal around… right? You look it, anyway."

"…Eh?"

"Don't you know? I respect people like you."

Through the fogginess of his drunken mind, the man got what she was getting at, and smirked. "The name's John LeRoy Brown."

"I got paper," Sam said sweetly, slipping it carefully out of her pocket. _Why didn't I pack a pen or something? _"Do you have something to write with?"

"Sure," he replied, and shot her in the lower arm. The gunshot was loud and rang in Sam's ears. "Use your own blood."

_Shit!_ she thought. _That hurt! …There's a bullet in my arm! Might as well shoot me twice more and let me die in a stairwell. Ha! _"Thanks," she said drily through gritted teeth, used her finger to scoop up some blood, then tried to write down _John Brown._ It wasn't very easy. _How the hell did Light manage in that last scene? This is so hard!_

"Persistent, ain't ya?" John asked. "Here." He shot twice more: one on the right side of her chest, and another missed because Sam tried to whack his hand away. He tried to laugh as Sam collapsed, clutching her chest, but the laughter died in his throat as his heart failed. Soon he, too, was lying on the ground, but he wasn't living. Sam was perfectly alive, and in a hell of a lot of pain. So you know what she did?

She went right ahead and passed out.

* * *

**...Oh no. It's a cliffhanger! D: Wah! *runs and hides* Don't hurt meee!**

**...Well... now you know who Tony is...**

_**Fun Fact**_**: Sam's reaction to the last part: "The first thing _I'd _do? The first thing I'd do is grab that guy's gun and keep it!" ...I then reminded her that she'd been shot twice and was losing blood. So, yeah.**

**Review please?**


	15. Chapter 15

**Yeah... sorry for the cliffhanger. :D Heehee.**

**So... yeah, Sam's awesome. Also, I do believe that after this Wednesday, I'll only be updating on Wednesdays from there on. Just letting you know. So... enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

When Sam first awoke, she didn't quite remember what had happened. In fact, she honestly thought that she was at home, in bed. Then she remembered that she was obviously in her hotel room, because she was no longer in the home she once knew. Discomfort settled over her, so she drowsily tried rolling over. The pain brought on by this action immediately reminded her what had happened, unfortunately. She groaned, though her mind wasn't thinking well enough to form complete sentences yet. The first thing that had come to mind was a simple, _Ow_.

She stopped moving to help the pain stop. Her chest throbbed with each beat of her heart, and her arm stung, but without movement it was much better. Once she felt she could open her eyes, she cracked them open blearily. The light immediately blinded her and gave her a horrible headache, and she shut them again in response. Trying not to look straight up this time, she cracked open a single eye to check out her surroundings. She was apparently no longer in an alley. Or at least, she didn't think so.

But then there was the fact there was a person right beside where she was laying. This idea freaked her out slightly, but her mind was still foggy what with the pain and, as she later learned, the sedatives. With blurred vision, she looked up at the man, dressed neatly as if he were about to go to a business meeting. But she did not identify him by the clothing, but instead tried to place a name to the face. That's what she hoped to do, anyway. Who wanted a stranger by your side when you were in pain?

"Sasuke?" she rasped confusedly. _Why the hell is Sasuke here? Oh… this is a dream._

"No," replied the man.

"Oh…." _Not Sasuke. _"Maddie-_chaaan_?" she asked. She sounded drunk even to her own ears. _God, I sound stupid…._

"No."

"Mmm…," she hummed in thought, closing her eyes and willing her brain to work correctly. _Think Death Note. What's that guy's name? It starts with an M…. _"Mi…kami?" she asked.

"No."

Sam considered lifting her arms to rub her eyes, but decided that that would hurt. So, she squeezed her eyes shut tight. Her brain was beginning to work a bit better now, though everything still _was_ a bit foggy. She opened her eyes again, to see him leaning closer to her, examining her. Now that she saw his face clearly, she recognized him immediately. And knowing who he was made her groan. "I'm dead," she moaned. "I'm dead. I'm seeing L; I'm dead or hallucinating."

"You are not dead," he responded.

"Yes I am," she slurred. "Because _you're _dead. Light got Rem to kill you…. And I killed a guy who killed me and karma is laughing his ass off."

"I am not dead," said L, "because Natsumi, Yui, and Michiyo saved me."

The possibility of this being true dawned on her. "They saved you after all?" she asked incredulously. Her mind continued to clear slowly but surely.

"Yes. They did, despite your… doubts."

"I feel like an idiot," she frowned, then looked around the room. "I'm in a hospital," she stated blankly.

"Yes," L confirmed.

"Who found me in the alley?"

"A citizen did, and I just happened to hear the commotion. I came to investigate, and found you there, so I got you to a hospital to have your injuries treated. Did you kill that man we found nearby?"

"It was self defense…," Sam mumbled.

"He died of a heart attack."

"…Yeah…."

"I will press further later. Right now we are in a hospital, and you need rest."

"Alright, Sir Fancy L."

"My name is Leonard DeNero."

"What the hell kind of name is that?"

"It is my name."

"Right…," Sam responded. "And by the way: De_Nero_? It almost sounds like you're copying Near's name. …But making it cooler and more mysterious or something. You know who Near is, right?"

"Of course," L responded. _Actually, I read that manga of yours, but that can be explained later._

"You did?" she asked. "Wow, I can't believe Natsumi let you read that – she's very cautious as to who knows about it and stuff. So then, you're in the loop?"

"Sayuri, I did not say that aloud." _Could she possibly be able to read my thoughts?_

"Oh. Oh, what the hell? I can read your thoughts? _What_?"

The shadow of an intrigued smile passed over L's lips. "Each one of you can only read one person's thoughts. Natsumi has Light. You have me."

Sam let out a splutter of laughter that quickly died due to the pain. "Ha," she said, though her smile had transformed to more of a grimace. "Natsumi's got Light."

"Correct. Though, it does make me curious as to why only one mind can be read, and, of course, why you have me and Natsumi has Light."

"Yeah…," Sam agreed. "Why _do _I have you? Honestly, we're not much alike…."

"Are you implying Natsumi is like Light?"

"Well, no. Not really. She has Light hair, but your hair is nothing like mine, really…. Sometimes she laughs like him, too, but that's about it… though I doubt you laugh anything like me, either."

"Ah…. Well, you should go back to sleep. If you'd like, I can get a doctor to give you more sedatives."

"Nah, as long as I don't move, I'm good…," Sam said, suddenly feeling tired again. And after a few minutes, she had fallen into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

"You found Sayuri?" I asked excitedly into the phone.

"Yes," L confirmed. "Please do not yell."

"Oh my god, that's great!" I sighed in relief, falling back onto the bed.

"He found her?" asked Sierra.

"Is she alright?" prodded Anna.

"How is she?" I asked into the phone.

"She is currently in the hospital," L replied. "She was attacked by a local criminal, but she'll be alright."

"Are you with her now?"

"Yes."

"Can I talk to her?"

"Yes."

There was a pause. "Hello?" asked Sam.

"Oh, Sam, you're alive! I… this is Nata—Natsumi, by the way…. Do you still hate us?"

"I don't hate you!" Sam replied. "There was just that thing with the L dying, and L's fine… and then the whole Mello thing, but still, I don't hate you, I swear!"

I smiled. "Thank you."

"Oh, and Na…tsumi—"

"Wait," I said. "I just want to let you know not to tell L anything that might encourage him to convict Light of being Kira, okay?"

"Oh… um… never mind then…."

"Can't say it in front of him?"

"Uh-huh," she replied. "Well, maybe, but…."

"Don't take any chances. How are you? What happened?"

"I was attacked by a criminal and he shot me. It wasn't fun."

"You were shot?" I asked.

"He shot three times, but only two bullets hit…. If that third one had hit, I would have felt extremely like Light. Especially when…." Her voice trailed off.

"When what?" I asked.

"When… um… I wrote the guy's name… in my blood…."

I blinked. "You did?"

"Uh… yeah…."

"…Well," I said thoughtfully, "now you can't look at Light in such disgust, huh?"

"It was self defense!" she snapped.

I smiled, not wanting to irritate her further by trying to support Light. She had gotten mad enough at us already, and somehow I knew telling her that he was technically doing it in self defense too wouldn't make her very happy. "I miss you, Sam," I said softly.

"Yeah… I miss you too…. But I'll be back soon, right?"

"I hope so."

"Oh, L… I mean _Leonard_, wants to talk to you again."

There was a pause as she handed the phone over. "Sayuri will be staying here," said L.

"What?" I asked. "Why?"

"It depends upon her willingness to cooperate, but I'm sure you wouldn't mind if she stayed with me for awhile to help in my research. Correct?"

_Research?_ "What research?" I asked.

"Ah… you will see, Natsumi."

"That isn't a very good answer."

"I apologize."

"Come on, show some sincerity for once." There was a knock on the hotel door. _Crap._ "Gotta go, sorry!" I said with a laugh, gazing back at the door. "Light's here, and I doubt you want to speak to him. Bye!" I hastily closed my new phone and got to my feet just as Sierra opened the door.

"Hey," Sierra greeted.

"Natsumi, we need to speak," said Light simply as he closed the door behind him, getting straight to the point.

"Um, alright, go ahead," I shrugged.

"First…. I assume you've made contact with Sayuri. Am I correct?"

"Um… yeah."

"How did he know that?" asked Anna confusedly.

"I heard Natsumi speaking on the phone," replied Light. "Who else would she be speaking to?"

"So what did you want from me this time?" I asked.

"I've gotten rid of L," Light said matter-of-factly. "What happens next? Obviously, either my obstacles are officially gone, or something else is going to happen. You saw my entire lifespan, if I'm not mistaken, therefore you know what happens after L is gone, as I am still here."

I thought about this a moment. _If he knows about Near and Mello, will he better anticipate what'll happen, and therefore have more than one plan up his sleeve? Maybe… or perhaps I could just say there were more obstacles to come in a matter of a few years. Tell him that he'll know the game is back on once someone is kidnapped…. _"It isn't over," I said finally. "There will be more obstacles."

Light nodded. "I suspected as such."

_He suspected it already? God, I hope he isn't planning too far ahead. I think he originally just thinks he'll win, no doubt about it…._

"Yeah well they're Mel—" began Sierra, but Anna pounced on her to make her shut up. "What was that for?" Sierra cried.

"Be quiet, Sierra!"

"It's Yui, Michiyo! Eh… you just said it front of Light!"

"I'm sorry!"

I cleared my throat. "Uh, anyway… these obstacles won't come for another five years or so, so until then we just idly 'try' to solve the Kira case." I shrugged. "Simple, really. To be honest, it'll be quite boring for me, not doing anything in particular for five years."

"Is this the area of time where you only have vague bits of information?" Light asked.

"Yes. I call it… a _time skip_. Aren't I fancy?" I looked up at Ryuk. "Why is it that you, the most noticeable in the group, are the one I always neglect to greet?"

"Oh yeah…," agreed Sierra. "Ryuk, can I have a hug?" she asked excitedly.

Ryuk looked at her. "Eh… no."

"You don't really join in our conversations," Anna commented.

"I have a question!" Sierra yelped, raising her hand. "What's your favorite color?"

"Um, which one are you asking?" I asked her, gesturing to Light and Ryuk.

"That was a pointless question," commented Ryuk.

Light looked like he felt he was surrounded by idiots.

"Both of you!" Sierra grinned.

"None," replied Ryuk, then corrected himself, "Oh, maybe red."

"Of course it's red," said Anna. "He likes apples, duh."

"Mostly red apples, too," I agreed, "so that _does _make sense… I guess."

"I think we're done here," said Light with a hint of irritation, turning to open the door.

"Wait!" Sierra protested. "What's your favorite color?"

"If you must know, I am not inclined to any color whatsoever," he replied simply. "Goodbye." And he left.

"So… what's his favorite color, then?" asked Anna blankly.

I shrugged. "Let's just say Light just doesn't like colors."

Sierra gasped in horror. "Who doesn't like colors?"

I smiled. "Apparently, Light."

* * *

And so, I entered another one of those periods of time in which nothing interesting seemed to happen. Only this time, it was a lot more than just, say, three months. I occasionally talked to L and/or Sayuri, but nothing much happened on their end, though Sam eventually got out of the hospital and L assured me his research was going well. What he was researching, I didn't learn until months later. Perhaps years. Although Sam did tell me that they were, on L's guidance, trying to get closer to the government. Only L knew _why_, so… yeah.

June 2005, a little more than half a year afterward, something finally happened. Something small, but it happened, nonetheless. It was another one of those days – a Sunday, actually – where Light had come. Not so much as to obtain information, but to make sure all was normal with Anna and Sierra, and perhaps earn a bit more trust with the two. I could just hear Sam. '_Oh, great, now he'll use his _'manly charm'_ on us._'

_Charisma, _I corrected in my head with a smile.

"Can Light stay for dinner?" asked Anna.

"Why?" Sierra whined in response.

"Well, he seems a lot more fun to be around now," Anna shrugged.

"Well, I don't see why not," I said, glancing at Light. _If he gets my niece under his influence, then god damn it, I'll…._

"Would you like me to help?" Light asked kindly.

I raised an eyebrow. _Wow. Really trying to look nice, aren't we now?_

"Perhaps," he said.

"Perhaps what?" I asked.

"Perhaps I am trying to look 'nice,'" he responded.

"…But I _thought_ that."

The corners of his mouth twitched upward. "Maybe you can send thoughts after all, huh, Natsumi?"

"Really?" asked Sierra. "That's cool! But then again, that means you have to share random thoughts with Light…." She shuddered. "Okay. Maybe it's not so fun."

"It's not like our minds are in sync," I frowned. "It's not like we'll start thinking the same things."

"Yeah," agreed Anna. "Au… uh… Natsumi is still Natsumi."

"And I am still Light," said Light.

"Obviously," Anna responded, rolling her eyes.

"But anyway, what do you guys want for din—" I asked, but was cut off by the new cell phone. I could tell it was the newer one because it had a special ringing ringtone of bells, unlike the usual normal ring my normal cell phone had. "Um, sorry. That's probably Sayuri." I grabbed the phone off of the bedside table and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Natalie Hester, Samantha Kline, Sierra Terrell, Annalisa Prince."

My breath caught in my throat. "Uh…. What?"

"Are those your names?" asked L.

"Um…. Er, yeah, but—"

"Thank you," L responded, and hung up.

I blinked, then slowly closed the phone. "I'm not sure what just happened…." I was about to think something along the lines of, _At least it's only L that knows, _but then looked at Light and decided against thinking anything at all. If that's possible. _Wonder about it later, _I told myself. _Wonder about it later._

* * *

"Sayuri, were you aware your younger selves were in this world?" L asked from his chair in their simple apartment, having just hung up on me. On his computer screen was the files of Little Natalie, Little Sierra, and Little Anna.

Sam looked to the ground uncomfortably. "Um… yeah, I knew."

"Why didn't you tell me they were here?"

"Well… um… Natsumi said not to tell you any information that you might take as an opportunity to accuse Light of being Kira…. Especially since she wants to save Light, too, for whatever stupid reason she has."

"I understand," L responded.

Sam waited for L to carry on the conversation, but he didn't, and the room was left in silence. _I hate when he does that, _Sam thought with a sigh.

* * *

It was only the next day when I returned from headquarters to find Sierra had written a message on the notepad.

"I left it in front of the door so I wouldn't forget to give it to you," Sierra explained as I picked it up off the ground. "L wanted you to call back, so I wrote it down…."

I looked at the paper. On it was a simple,

_Call L_

I smiled, then got the special phone off the bedside table to call L back. _That's right, _I thought. _L found out our names. How did he do that? Does he somehow randomly have Shinigami eyes, like BB? Did Sam tell him? But…. _"Hello?"

"Ah. Natsumi. I'd like you to tell Light Sayuri's real name."

I blinked, my question from before forgotten. "_What_?"

"Trust me, Natsumi."

"Um… alright…."

"You can say you are still angry at her, and in a particularly angry moment, you could say her name aloud."

"Okay… but… _why_?"

"Please trust me. Light cannot kill you with her name alone. He still needs Yui and Michiyo's names."

"That's true…."

"And please pretend you don't know Misa has the Shinigami eyes, if you haven't already hinted that you know," said L.

"May I ask why?"

"Yes, but I will not answer."

"Right…. Okay, I'll do it… but if it gets us killed…."

"I guarantee you will not die at the hands of Kira."

"Okay…."

"Goodbye, Natsumi."

"Um, bye." But he had already hung up.

* * *

So, the next day I came angrily into the hideout, wearing a scowl on my face. "What's wrong?" asked Matsuda, naturally being the first one to notice.

"It's _Sayuri_," I spat.

"What about her?" asked Matsuda. "Speaking of her… wasn't she the one who ran off?"

"Yeah! She has a tendency to run away, doesn't she? First she runs off from her own house, and now she runs away from us!" To be quite honest, I was having a lot of fun in doing this. I was good at pretending to be angry. Maybe it was because of the fact I used to have temper problems when I was little. And fear problems, but that was beside the point.

"Isn't she coming back?" asked Matsuda.

"No!" I cried. "That idiot doesn't want anything to do with us!" I scowled. "The bitch left, and made poor Michiyo feel abandoned all over again. Well, you know what? Fuck her! _Guess what, Kira?_" I yelled to the ceiling. "_Sayuri Sakamoto is actually named Samantha Kline!_"

Matsuda, Aizawa, and Soichiro all spoke at the same time.

"Natsumi!" cried Matsuda.

"Don't do things like that!" snapped Aizawa.

"That sort of thing isn't to be taken lightly!" reprimanded Soichiro.

Mogi nodded in agreement.

…_I don't like being yelled at…._

"Dad, everyone, don't be so hard on her," said Light.

_Okay, I know you aren't doing this to be nice, but thanks anyway._

"She's only fifteen, she's still immature in that respect."

_Hey!_

_No need to protest; it's the truth, _he replied.

I frowned. He was better at sending thoughts on command. He smiled at this new ability of his.

"For your information," I said, "I'm sixteen. _And a half_."

"'And a half?'" asked Matsuda. "Isn't that in itself kinda childish?"

"And when you're trying to prove your maturity, too…," Aizawa uttered.

"I'm not being childish," I sniffed. "I'm just being factual. My birthday is on the Winter Solstice, therefore I am simply being more exact with my age – summer means I am simply halfway to becoming another year older. See?" A thought occurred to me. "Oh my gosh!" I cried. "I'm sixteen; I can _drive_!"

"The driving age is eighteen," said Soichiro.

"Oh… oops." _Must be because I'm in Japan._

"You can drive a moped," Matsuda offered.

"Uh… I'm not even sure what that is. But okay!"

"She switches moods so easily," muttered Aizawa.

"Yeah…," Matsuda agreed with a weak smile. "Very inconsistent."

"I can be inconsistent if I _wanna _be inconsistent," I frowned. "That's just the way I am…," I added thoughtfully. _One moment I'm happy, the next I'm depressed, then hyper, then lazy, then sarcastic, then annoying, then a Kira supporter. The hell?_

A light smirk appeared on Light's features. _What was that last part?_

I laughed aloud. _None of your beeswax, Kira._

Matsuda was, yet again, confused. "What's so funny?"

"Leave it," Aizawa sighed.

* * *

**So... yeah...**

_**Fun fact**_**: Those names of ours? Of the OCs? Yeah, those are fake.**

**Again, so yeah. Review please? *sparkly eyes***


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay, from now on, I shall only update on Wednesdays. Just so you know~**

**Oh, and I've reached _fifty reviews_! This is a lot to me... Thank you! We'll have to celebrate. ...Somehow...**

* * *

Light appeared a lot more at our doorstep since that one night he had dinner. Well, not so much our doorstep, since we lived in a hotel room, but you get the point. My first thought was a vain hope that, perhaps, he was retaining some of his humanity and making friends. But then Anna mentioned the thing to L and Sam at one point, and L immediately deduced that he was just trying to get us closer to him; get us more comfortable around him, because maybe then we would let down our guard. Perhaps we would even say our names accidentally. And then he could get rid of us.

This deduction, to be honest, shattered that hopeful image of mine.

But anyway, once Anna let L and Sam know Light was trying to get closer to us, L said simply, "You are still acting as though you don't know Misa has the Shinigami eyes, correct?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Then one of you – you, Yui, or Michiyo – mention to Light that you have never went to his apartment for dinner. He will then invite you, of course, and you will accept."

"But then, won't Misa see our faces?"

"Yes."

"…So won't we die?"

"No. You will not. Trust me, Natsumi."

"That's the second time you've said that," I said nervously. "It's starting to freak me out."

"When I say that, it merely means that it seems unlikely to work to most, but I know it will work. If you trust me, then you would know that you are safe."

"This reminds me of the time with Near…. Did you mess with the notebook or something?"

"No."

"So how are we safe?"

"Just trust me. Will you do this?"

"Um…." I looked to Anna and Sierra, who were leaning in close to listen. They nodded. "Yeah. We can do it. Just don't get us killed, okay, L?"

"My name is Leonard, and I won't, Natsumi."

"Hey, L—_Leonard, _darn it… remember when I said I could hear Light's thoughts?"

"Yes. In fact, I don't believe I've mentioned that Sayuri can hear my thoughts, as well."

"What?" asked Anna, surprised.

"I assume that was Michiyo," said L.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "That's cool, though!"

"I wonder who _we've_ got…," Sierra commented.

"I'm sure you will find out," L replied, "but what was it you wanted to say, Natsumi?"

"Oh, right," I said. "Well, Light can hear my thoughts, now, too…. Do you have any ideas why? You're the smart one…."

It was quiet on the other end for a few seconds, then. "Did any of you hug him?"

"Uh… no," I answered, confused. "…Oh. Wait. Yeah."

"Who hugged him?"

"Well, technically, he hugged me, and then I just sorta hugged back," I responded.

"Were you wishing to go home when you did so?"

I thought back to the incident. "No," I said matter-of-factly. "I was having one of those moments when I thought all this was fake, and I actually really wanted this to all be real. So… it was quite the contrary. Though him hugging me did trigger me realizing it was real, and my eyes readjusted," I added thoughtfully.

"When did he begin hearing your thoughts?"

"Um, a bit after you supposedly died, I think."

"I have a few theories," said L.

"What are they?" I asked. Sierra and Anna leaned in closer to the phone.

"First, him affecting your perception of this world triggered it. But then there's the point that you said yourself that it's merely your perception on reality, and Michiyo has had the ability to see things realistically the whole time."

_One of his long explanations are coming up, _I thought.

"Besides," said L, "that could not be so, because I myself can hear Sayuri's thoughts, and that did not occur with her."

There was a surprised "_What?_" from Sam in the background.

L ignored it. "Second, there is the idea that the four of you have been in a world that isn't your own for too long. You don't necessarily belong in this world, and therefore there's no telling what long periods of time here would do to you."

"Uh… what are some things that could happen?" Anna asked nervously.

"Anything could happen, actually, but I am not any sort of expert in alternate universes and travelling between them."

"Right…," I frowned.

"In any case, you will do as I asked, correct?"

"Oh, the thing to go to Light's? Yeah, we'll do that."

"Good. Goodbye."

"Um, bye…."

Thus we had Light for dinner the next night, whereon Anna brought up the 'going to his house' thing. "Light?" Anna asked as I took a bite of spaghetti. I had made the spaghetti with Sierra's help, since I believed it was simply more kind to make the food for a guest rather than ask someone else to make it.

"Yes, Michiyo?" he replied.

_Why does a murderer like him have to be so damn polite?_

_I was raised correctly._

_Stop probing my thoughts; it's creepy!_

_My apologies._

"Well, I was wondering why we never go to your house," said Anna.

"My house? It's hardly a house, Michiyo… I live in an apartment," Light responded. "I technically live in the task force headquarters right now."

"With Misa?" asked Sierra.

"Yes."

"Why aren't we allowed to meet Misa?" Sierra inquired.

"Yeah!" Anna agreed.

"You never bring her over, either," I commented. "She must feel lonely, with you going out all the time. She might even be jealous." I shrugged. "Besides, it's okay to meet her now. She got rid of her Shinigami eyes when she lost her memories. There's no need to steer clear of her now…." I looked at Light. "Right? I think that's how it goes, anyway…."

He smiled. "Yes. Why don't you come this Saturday, then, for a bit of a change? Now _I'll_ be the host, serving you."

"Yeah!" Sierra beamed.

_Joy, _I thought drily, then glanced at Light. He hadn't seemed to have heard me.

* * *

"Misa!" Anna cried happily, jumping up to glomp her.

"Oh, hey!" Misa responded, doing her best to catch her. "Uh, who are you?"

"I'm Michiyo!" Anna replied.

Misa blinked, looking at something directly above Anna's head that we couldn't see. "Hi Michiyo!" she greeted, holding out her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too!"

"Ooh, ooh, hi, Misa! I've always wanted to meet you!" Sierra grinned, pouncing to hug her as well. My nieces liked hugs. Well… _I _like hugs, too, so…. "I swear, you and Light should get married one day!"

_Right, Sierra supports Misa dating Light._

Misa laughed and responded, "I hope so!"

"You've already met me," I said with a smile. "Nice seeing you again…. I haven't seen you in months!"

"That's right!" she replied.

"Oh!" Sierra squeaked. "Tell me, what's your favorite color?"

"Misa's favorite color?" she asked. "Um… pink… or black, I think."

"Thanks!" Sierra responded.

"You're gonna ask everyone that, aren't you?" I asked.

"Yep!" she grinned in response.

"Light doesn't like colors!" Anna exclaimed, pulling at Misa's arm.

"He doesn't? Well, I guess Misa can understand that, too…."

I smiled as I heard Sam scoff, '_You can understand anything if Light's the one doing it!_'

'_What chu smilin' 'bout?' _she then asked at my stupid smile.

_Wow. You know you're weird when you hear voices in your head._

_I beg to differ._

_You be quiet, Light._

The dinner went relatively well, and it seemed normal enough. Misa made some onigiri to eat, and we all ate together; Light's apartment was much bigger than our hotel room, much to our disappointment, but we could only stay in his living area and not go into where the HQ was. There were no threats exchanged throughout the meal, and we went back to our own hotel room alive and well. _Maybe L was right, _I thought. _Maybe we _are _safe. Maybe… maybe Light simply won't try to kill us._

Of course, I had the sobering thought that Light could use that to blackmail us if he wanted. He could easily control us. In fact, he could even force one of us to be a Kira to keep the suspicion off of him, if he wanted, because if we didn't do as he asked, we would die. That's an effective threat indeed, especially since none of us wanted to die.

However, weeks passed without incident. I went to the apartment that was our headquarters every day, and we would, as planned, never come up with any leads on Kira. After all, if Light was L, and Light is Kira, that meant Kira was L and thus L would be catching himself, and that wouldn't do any good for any of them.

Discussions with L were few and far between, but I talked with Sam frequently. L, she said, was doing a good job in getting them closer to the government, despite them having to stay in New York. I sometimes asked her if she knew what he was planning or why he was doing all this, but she would always reply with a squeaky cry of "_I don't know!_" Still, time seemed to move normally for the first time in over a year. It almost seemed normal to me now: getting up every morning to go to the investigation headquarters, living with Anna and Sierra and occasionally speaking with L and Sam, the many different relationships – good or bad – that I made stronger every day, the simple fact of living in a new world…. It all seemed like my natural lifestyle now. It was all normal. And so, time seemed to move at a normal pace for once. It didn't drag on endlessly, or become incredibly fast-paced. It was… life.

For a while, I didn't even notice my new familiarity. It just… happened. It occurred to me one day while at headquarters, and at first it made me sad. _Whatever happened to home? _I wondered. We never so much as thought about home anymore…. And I found that sad. We were living on our own in a world that wasn't ours, and yet… we were slowly growing to call it 'home.' _If home is where the heart is, and we're coming to consider this home… where's the heart we left in our real home? Will we eventually come to not care at all? Will we cease to miss our own parents? Will we lose even the will to go back? And if we don't even have the will to try… we'll never make it home. And the worst part about that is…._

_We wouldn't care._

So I did my best to cling to home, and I'd occasionally think about it just to make sure my memory of my parents stayed intact. After this long, though… it was getting harder to piece a picture of my own mother together in my head. I also found out just how happy I was in this world, and I began to wonder if that was bad of me. It made me feel kind of guilty.

Sam and L went to work in their own way, without my knowing. L, as Leonard DeNero, went with Sam to Little Natalie's house. "This is my father," Sam said, gesturing to L once Little Natalie's mom answered the door.

"Pleased to meet you," said L, awkwardly holding out his hand. _If only I were still L, _he thought. _This is not my kind of thing._

_You'll just have to deal with it, _Sam thought with a frown.

_I'm sorry. I'm not the hands-on type._

_Oh, I keep forgetting you can hear me._

_It's alright, Sayuri…. Or rather, Samantha._

_That's so weird._

_Sharing thoughts, you mean?_

_Obviously. I mean, how many people can say they've had a conversation with a real person in their head?_

_Not many._

This conversation went by in the matter of a few seconds, as thought is much quicker than sending the message to the mouth and then processing it and speaking it. So, Little Natalie's mom took no notice of the little exchange as she said to L, "It's nice to meet you too." She turned to Sam. "I haven't seen you in a while, either. I just wanted to thank you for taking care of Natalie… and apologize for what happened. She has… anxiety."

"No, I understand," said Sam.

"Anxiety can be justified in days such as these," L agreed.

"So, what brings you here?" Little Natalie's mom asked.

"Samantha here has been mentioning you and Natalie a lot; I wanted to meet you."

"Oh! Come on in! Sam, I don't think you've ever met my husband. This is Bill," she said to L. "But I suppose that would be Mr. Hester to you, Sam," she smiled.

"Hi," Little Natalie's father – aka Bill – greeted, getting up off of his brown La-Z-Boy chair. He held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Hester… ah… Bill."

"And what do I call you?" Little Natalie's father smiled.

"You can call me Leonard."

"Oh, and you can call me Sue!" Little Natalie's mother came in.

_Oh, wow, _Sam thought. _Bill and Sue. I just realized that. How... generic._

"So how have you been doing on the house search?" Little Natalie's mom – Sue – asked L.

"We've decided to just keep an apartment for now," L responded.

"Who's here?" asked Little Natalie, coming down the stairs. "Oh, hi Sam!"

"Hi Natalie!" Sam responded. _This is still incredibly weird…._

Something began beeping in the kitchen, and Sue ran to get it. "Sorry, I have something cooking," she explained.

"Sam," Little Natalie exclaimed, "come upstairs to play with me!"

"Um… alright," Sam replied, allowing herself to be pulled along by the wrist. She glanced back at L.

_I will do what is needed, _he thought. _You do your end._

_Got it._

It's funny. Sam and L had much better connection than Light and I had. Maybe it was because they weren't constantly trying to block their own thoughts from the other.

But anyway, Sam was taken up the stairs. "Where do you want to go?" asked Little Natalie. "My room or the toy room?"

_The toy room is messed up in this time period. So…. _"Your room, I guess."

"Okay!" Little Natalie grinned. "What do you want to play with?"

"Uh… stuffed animals, I guess…."

"I'll be right back!" she said, heading to the toy room to get the stuffed toys.

Sam immediately pulled the miniature surveillance cameras out of her pocket and began sticking them to random places on the walls, trying to get every angle possible. Sam was done by the time Little Natalie got back. "What do you think they're talking about downstairs?" she asked as she dragged a large bucket of stuffed animals in.

"Who knows?" Sam shrugged. "My… uh… dad doesn't talk much, so I'm at a loss as to what he'd actually talk about."

Little Natalie smiled. "_Qui plus saît, plus se taît_," she said. "French, you know. The more a man knows, the less he talks."

Sam blinked. _The hell?_

"I read that in a book," Little Natalie grinned at Sam's expression. "It's called _A Wrinkle in Time_."

_Right. Natalie tended to brag a lot when she was little. Had too much pride. She thought everyone else was below her, even her teachers. Wow… and now she says she lacks self-confidence. When, exactly, did that change come about?_

_Is that so? _asked L.

_That wasn't meant for you to hear._

_So sorry._

"That's cool," Sam commented aloud. "I like reading too. My favorite book is probably _Lonestar Sanctuary_."

"What's that?" asked Little Natalie.

"Oh… never mind…." _I don't even know if that book exists yet…. When did that book come out? _She didn't even know if it were meant to exist at all in this world…. Technically… _we _weren't meant to exist in this world, either.

But that thought didn't occur to Sam until later.

* * *

**So... I hope you enjoyed it. :D And thanks again for all of the reviews, guys!**

_**Fun fact: **_**You know how all the real world girls have one specific person whose thoughts they can hear? Originally, it was going to be a sort of 'all of them can read everyone's thoughts because they're real world people' thing, but then I noticed Natalie/I was only reading Light's thoughts, generally. Then the idea was born. And it ended up being a very important part in the story later on. Haha, funny how that works...**

**...Long fun fact.**

**Review please? For these poor, innocent doppelgangers!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Double update! Why? That whole 'fifty review' thing I mentioned last chapter! Plus, last chapter was short, and it turns out this chapter is short_er _so here!**

**Something big happens in this one~**

* * *

As more time passed, I began feeling more relaxed. I had felt a bit exposed for awhile, knowing Misa had seen our names. But months passed without incident. The flow of time did not change, it lasted awhile, but it seemed short looking back on it. Normality. Soon it was September 2005. _That's the one thing that's still weird, _I thought to myself. _The year. The year always reminds me how strange it is. Otherwise, it's all… normal. _Light was still coming over frequently. L was still executing obscure plans no one knew about. Sam was still with L in America. Anna and Sierra were still trying to find ways to occupy themselves in our hotel room while I was at headquarters. The team was still investigating the Kira case without the knowledge that Kira was right in front of them. And I… I was still simply going with the flow. Waiting for things to start again.

I had almost forgotten about the fact Light and Misa knew our names now, especially since we hadn't met Misa as a group since that one night. There was one night, a Sunday – September eighteenth – where Light came to our hotel room for dinner. It had become a tradition of sorts, him coming to dinner on Sundays. He seemed especially happy that day. At least, he came strolling in with one of those satisfied smirks on his face.

"Why so thrilled?" I asked drily.

"Perhaps I'm just in a good mood today, Natsumi," he replied, turning to close the door behind him. He did so slowly and gently; I could hardly hear the click. Sierra, Anna, and I were sitting on the bed, though we were getting to our feet to greet him. He looked at his watch, and his smirk became a smile as he reached his hand into his jacket, slipping out what looked to be the Death Note.

"Why do you have that?" Anna asked, curious.

"You know who I am," he replied, smile gone, "so what's wrong with showing it to you?" He calmly opened it and flipped through its pages.

"Um," I said nervously, "what do you suggest for dinner?"

He stopped at a page, and, without moving his head, looked up at me. I guess one of the… _different _things about being in this world was the occasional dramatic difference. This was one of those instances. Otherwise, I don't think his eyes would be naturally red. That just doesn't happen. Not even when you have the Shinigami eyes.

All I knew, though, was that glowing red eyes meant something sinister. And sinister was bad. Especially when the corners of his mouth were curling upward in one of those creepy smiles. The next action was relatively simple: he straightened up, cocked his head slightly to the side, and held up the notebook with the pages facing us as his smile widened. '_What do you think?_' his eyes said. '_I win again._' He always had to add the drama…. My eyes travelled to the page.

_Samantha Kline, heart attack September 18th at 6:30 PM Japanese time  
__Natalie Hester, heart attack September 18th at 6:30 PM  
__Sierra Terrell, heart attack September 18th at 6:30 PM  
__Annalisa Prince, heart attack September 18th at 6:30 PM_

Sierra let out a little whine and pulled Anna and I into a hug.

"But Aunt Natalie… you said you'd protect us," Anna murmured, clutching my shirt.

I glanced at the clock. It was 6:29. "Well," I said with a nervous laugh, "now I find out what it's like to have a heart attack." I licked my lips. "Eh… good game?" I held out my hand.

Light shook it gladly. "I'm so sorry you had to lose."

"Sure you are." I responded, then hugged my nieces. "Now please excuse me as I live my last moments holding my nieces close and wishing I could have lived." Yes. I'm weird. I take horrible situations calmly; it's one of those characteristics of mine. I closed my eyes, holding my nieces close. I braced myself for the pain, eyes shut tight. _Now I'll know what's on the other side, _I thought. _And I used to be so afraid of death. Not so much death, though, but… the unknown. Now it intrigues me. I might as well embrace it…. Hm, it's ironic that the guy I wanted to save is the one killing me…. Oh, I'm sorry Sam. I'm sorry Sierra. I'm sorry Anna…. And we'll never see home again._

"Aunt Natalie?" Anna asked softly.

I was almost crying. Almost. "I'm sorry, Anna. I hope you forgive me."

"I forgive you, Natalie," said Sierra. "It wasn't your fault, anyway…. I guess I don't mind dying…. Although, I don't really want to die…."

And suddenly, I could hear bells. I smiled. _I hear the bells, L. I hear them. Can you hear the bells, Light? Ha…._ But then I realized something. _Those aren't bells… that's my cell phone. _I opened my eyes, looking around. I looked to the clock. 6:30. Light was gazing at his watch. I cautiously picked up my cell phone. "He… hello?"

I could hear yelling in the background. "Light has written your names in the Death Note," L said.

"Um… yeah…." I looked back at the clock. 6:31.

"You are alive and well. You cannot be harmed by the Death Note. As I thought."

A sense of shaky relief settled over me, and I collapsed. "Thanks, Leonard," I said, and hung up. I looked up at Light. "Do… do you still want dinner?"

He looked at me with now blazing red eyes. _Why aren't they dead?_

I couldn't help it. I laughed aloud. "I'm not quite sure myself, Light!"

"Aunt Natalie," Anna asked softly, "are we going to be okay?"

"Yes," I replied happily.

"Cool," Sierra commented.

I staggered to my feet and spread my arms wide. "I don't know why we're alive, Light, but we made it. Maybe it's because we don't belong here. Maybe it's because we're from a different world. Who knows? _Who knows_? We tried to be your allies, Light. We tried to help. And you thank us by trying to kill us! How _sweet _of you!" I cried with obvious sarcasm. I burst into laughter. I was in a very laugh-y mood at the moment. Perhaps it was my happiness of being alive combined with the adrenaline of knowing I was about to die.

"Aunt Natalie, you sound like Light again," said Anna.

The laughter was cut off. "I do not!" I snapped.

"Yes you do," Anna giggled.

"Yeah," I scoffed, "I sound like the guy who just tried to _kill me!_"

Sierra laughed.

Anna giggled.

I guffawed.

Light was the only one not laughing.

"But Light," I grinned, spreading my arms wide, "you're still welcome to be our ally. Because I'm just a nice person." I remembered the act L and I had agreed on: I support Kira, and I'm _not_ a shady character working against him from inside enemy lines. "And because, to be honest, I really do support Kira. So what do you say we actually work together now, eh?" I held out my hand as an offering.

He just looked at the hand a moment, and there was utter silence. Then Light smiled darkly, a red tint still in his eyes, and shook my hand for the second time. First, we'd shaken for it being the end. Now we were shaking hands for the development of a new beginning. _Working from inside enemy lines, _I thought. _Sweet._

* * *

"You just killed off four innocent people!" Sam cried.

_And here it comes, _L thought.

"Don't think I didn't hear that!" she snapped. "Just because you're the awesome L doesn't mean you can kill little kids! Little Natalie was only eight! And Little Sierra was six… and Little Me was only six, too! _Little Anna wasn't even a year old!_"

"Little Anna cannot die. The Death Note does not affect those under 780 days old."

"Still, you can't just kill three kids!"

"I did not kill them, Sayuri."

"You know what I mean!" Sam retorted. "What was the gain in killing three kids?"

"I have proof Light is Kira, it is now proven that you four are not effected by the Death Note and therefore you are more free to do things and are a larger threat to Light, there is less of a possibility of the four of you ceasing to exist, I may have found something important out as a difference between our worlds that could save Matt's life, and I believe there are quite a few people who are now against Kira."

Sam blinked confusedly. "Does that justify allowing three children to die, though?"

"Probably not," L replied, "but it saves a lot more people in the long run…." There was a long pause. "Sayuri, would you like to see your friends again?"

* * *

"So," Sam asked on the plane, "why do you think I can hear your thoughts?"

L was shifting uncomfortably in his seat, no doubt wanting to unclip his seatbelt and return to his normal position. "Well, from what I know, it likely means we have some sort of connection. Perhaps in our childhood."

"What makes you think that?" Sam asked.

"Well… you mentioned Natalie used to have excessive pride and believed others were below her. That description does have a considerable resemblance to Light, don't you think?"

Sam blinked. "Well, yeah, but how the hell are _we _alike? It's not intelligence, that's for sure. You're too smart…. Okay… think childhood…. I never knew my dad," she offered. "Does that have anything to do with it?"

"I barely remember my mother…."

"Really?" Sam asked. "How old were you when…?"

"I was three when I lost her," he responded.

"Oh," Sam said uncomfortably. "Well, neither of my parents are dead…. I guess it has something to do with personality, though, right? But… I'm very over-emotional, and you're… well, almost emotionless. So… what do you think?" A pause. "Um, Leonard?"

"_You may now remove your seatbelts,_" said a voice above.

That would have been nice for L, finally being able to get back in his position, but he had already succumbed to unfortunate slumber. _I wonder what sort of dreams L has, _Sam mused thoughtfully, leaning back in her chair to relax.

* * *

There was a knock on the door a few days later. _I just got back from headquarters, _I thought confusedly. _The only one who comes here is Light, and the only way he'd be here now is if he followed me home. But I'm pretty sure he didn't do that._ Anna answered the door, just as I got up, and suddenly I was being glomped by Sam. And she doesn't like hugs.

True to that characteristic, she soon released me with a quick, "Okay, I'm done."

"L!" Anna cried in delight, hugging the detective in the doorway.

"Ah—It's Leonard."

"Let the poor boy go," I laughed, prying Anna off of L.

"Ooh!" Sierra yelped. "L—er, Leonard, what's your favorite color?" she asked as I closed the door behind L.

"My favorite color?" L asked blankly.

"Yeah!" Sierra grinned.

"Oh my god," Sam sighed.

"I've never really thought to consider a specific color my favorite…," L replied.

"So pick a favorite now!" Sierra responded joyfully.

"It's probably blue," I shrugged. "That's my guess, anyway."

"Yeah," Sam agreed. "The sauce color."

"If I were to select a favorite color now," said L, "I suppose it would be gold."

"Oh," I said. "Wow. I was way off."

"Me too…," Sam mumbled.

Anna and Sierra laughed.

"Natsumi," said L, looking to me, "you're good at acting, correct?"

"Well, I'm okay at it…," I responded confusedly.

"Good," said L, and began to explain.

* * *

**Poor, poor, children. *shakes head* L, you meanie poop. Oh well, I suppose it had to be done.**

_**Fun fact**_**: Sam, Sierra, and Anna all thought we were going to die there. They were mad that I was killing everyone off again. xD (In the last fanfiction I wrote, pretty much everyone died in the end... oops.)**

**Review? In memory of the little people that were lost on this fateful day...!**


	18. Chapter 18

"I haven't been here in a while," Light commented as he slid into the booth opposite me at the café he used to go to so often.

"This is only my second time being here," I responded, then laughed. "And the only time I was here was with L."

"Yes," he said, "I don't remember ever taking you here… so he took you, then?"

"Yup," I responded. "To do that test to make sure I wasn't Kira… and to find if I was smart enough to join the investigation."

Light chuckled. "That Kira test wasn't one hundred percent accurate, was it?"

"Not at all," I grinned. "But that's just because you had the ability to figure out the right answers."

"So why was it you asked me to come here?" asked Light, bringing his cup of coffee to his mouth.

I began putting large amounts of sugar into my coffee – I may have liked coffee now, but it needed lots of sugar…. "Well, after that incident a few nights ago, we obviously need to rekindle the relationship we had. Otherwise our alliance will just lead to mistrust and both of us may end up secretly plotting against the other…."

"True," Light agreed.

"Well, I think the both of us, from here on, should not conceal any secrets. Alright?"

"What secrets do I have for you, though?" he asked. "You know all that's going to happen."

"Maybe so," I conceded, "but I don't know much until… like, four years from now. Besides, me being here is something that could influence changes, and therefore it would be good to know if you plan something differently."

"I see. Now, what sort of secrets do you have?" he asked.

"Did I ever tell you about the thing we have with our eyes?" I responded.

"No."

"Well, depending on how much we believe it's real, it changes our perception on everything. The more we believe it's all real, the more realistic things look." I shrugged. "I see things pretty much normally, except for the occasional dramatic addition…. For example, when you were about to show us our names in the Death Note, your eyes were glowing red."

"Ooh," commented Ryuk.

I smiled. "Anything to say in return? Or am I the only one with secrets?"

"Misa…" he said, "when she saw the three of you, she said your lifespans were inconsistent and changed every so often."

"Really?" I asked. "Maybe that's just an attribute of coming from another world…." I cleared my throat. "I guess it's my turn, then."

"Are we honestly taking turns?"

"Only if you want to," I shrugged. "We could also just start randomly admitting everything we feel we need to admit. But anyway… I found out why we weren't able to be killed with the Death Note."

"Oh?" asked Ryuk, sounding curious.

"Well," I said, "we're from a different world, for one… so we technically don't belong in this world. But… this world is incredibly similar to my world, and… where I lived in my world, there lives other versions of us. Doppelgangers, I guess. But since we're from 2012 and this is 2005, they're younger versions of us. These younger versions of us are what you killed in our place."

Light blinked in slight surprise as Ryuk snickered.

"I don't mean to guilt trip you or anything," I said, "but they were just innocent kids…. Little Me was actually terrified of being killed by you, too. And that makes it kinda sad…. Of course, it was sad anyway…. The only one who survived was Anna – aka Michiyo – because she was only around a year old. It's ironic that Sierra – aka Yui – was a Kira supporter, though…. I'm not sure about Sam/Sayuri, though. She hadn't even met me yet…."

"You know I don't mean to kill innocents," he told me seriously.

"Oh, yeah, I know that…. But aren't we innocent enough? What did we ever do?"

"You are also well aware that your friends would be glad to give away my identity."

"True," I conceded, "but they just don't get the concept of Kira. They just think: 'Oh, he kills people; he's mean,' 'He's just plain out creepy and insane,' or 'He killed L so he's not a good person.'" I shrugged. "In my opinion, your killing L was just self defense. If someone is trying to put you on death row, of course you want to kill them first. It's kill or be killed…. But anyway, another thing I'd like to say is the actual relationships I have with my friends. Um, should I use their fake names, or their real names?"

"Either would be fine," he replied simply.

"Okay, well, Sam is my best friend that I've known since third grade, and Anna and Sierra are my nieces. They're my brother's daughters."

"I see," he commented, lifting his drink from the table and closing his eyes.

"Yeah…. Oh, and have I ever mentioned that I can only read your thoughts, and no one else's?"

He looked at me. "No, you haven't."

"Oh… well, I can only read your thoughts… and apparently you can hear mine, too…. Well, we have a theory as to why I can only read your thoughts… and my friends can only read one other person's thoughts."

"Whose thoughts can your friends read?" he asked.

"We're not sure yet, actually… but we think I can read yours because I apparently share some of your personality traits. …Or something like that. Something to do with me having a lot of pride and confidence when I was little…. So… do you have anything else to share?"

"Nothing of note," he responded. "I have nothing hide from your group. You know all there is to know without me telling you."

"Yeah, and we can always communicate through thought now. Oh, by the way… I can't tell you events that happen," I said. "I'm sorry, but that may mess things up drastically…. Besides, I'm sure you like a challenge."

"Yes," he agreed as my cell phone rang.

"Eh… sorry," I said, flipping it open. "Hello?" I smiled as the person on the other end responded, then hung up the phone. "One more thing," I said, putting the cell phone back in my pocket. "It's certainly a large secret that I feel you need to know if we are to be completely honest. A… '_friend_' of mine is going to be joining us now."

"A friend?" asked Light.

"Yes…," I replied, smirking. "This'll be interesting indeed."

"Ah, that's good," he said. "I wouldn't want Ryuk to get bored."

I saw Light dying in my mind's eye. "Yeah. You _really _don't want Ryuk to get bored."

Ryuk snickered.

"So," said Light. Then his gazed shifted to the man coming toward the table, and stopped speaking as he stared.

"Hello," L greeted with a small wave of his hand. "Nice seeing you again."

"Ryuuzaki!" Light exclaimed, getting to his feet with a small clatter. "You're alive! I—"

"Cut the crap," I laughed. "I know you're surprised, but you don't need to act like you're happy to see him."

"Yes…," said L. "I know everything. And please call me Leonard."

Light, looking at me, sat down again slowly.

Ryuk was laughing.

I slid down to allow L to sit beside me, and he sat and adjusted himself. "Well," I said, "now you get to have a nice discussion without secrecy, eh?"

"I know every bit of it," L informed him. "I don't like the thought that I died before I could catch you, though, to be honest."

"But you're alive," Light frowned.

"Perhaps," L replied, "but it's over for me now. I'm supposedly dead… and you took my place. This case is already over for me."

_L doesn't give up so easily, _Light thought. _He hates losing… he can't have given up now._

I smiled. _Actually, _I thought back, _he hasn't given up. It's a win-win situation in his mind. He solves cases for a challenge. The challenge is gone if he already has a solution._

"Besides," said L, "what's the point in solving a case that is no longer a challenge to me?"

_See?_

"To be quite truthful, I only solve cases to challenge myself. Not necessarily for justice…. Therefore, I'm done with the Kira case. Now all I'll do is watch from the sidelines to see how things go, if anything. Instead, I'll be working to solve the mystery of how the four of them got here, and how to get them back. It's not exactly my kind of case to solve, but they have to go home eventually, and I can't call myself L until I'm no longer dead."

"How do you plan on revealing the fact you're alive?" Light asked.

"Something simple; not too dramatic, as I know you'd like it," L responded.

I quickly took a sip of my coffee to stop from laughing.

"Of course," said L, "I'll have to figure something out about Watari… I can't say I'm not upset about his death, but I'm not the type to take revenge."

_Okay, _I thought, _so, L's alive. You're not outrageously angry or freaked out, right?_

_Not at all. Surprised, maybe._

_Well, if L's done with the investigation, you technically aren't arch rivals anymore. Right?_

_Arch rivals, Natsumi? You make it sound like we're in a television show._

I sputtered as I choked on my coffee. _Oh the irony…. Just answer the question, please._

_I will always look back on L as an enemy, but there's no reason to plot against him anymore. Of course, I'll have to keep an eye on him._

_I can do that for you. But… isn't this so much better than killing a guy? The obstacle is gone, and one less life was taken. How awesome is that?_

_I'd say it's an accomplishment._

"I'd like to say that it was interesting while it lasted, at least," said L, offering his hand to Light.

Light took it with a smile. "I'm glad to say you gave me a challenge, too, Leonard."

_You've been doing a lot of hand shaking lately, haven't you? _I commented in my mind.

A vague smile passed across L's features. "It's too bad, Light. I know this is not the real you. But I have to be leaving now." L slowly began getting to his feet. "Sayuri is likely to be getting impatient, and we need to plan our trip back to America. Unfortunately, she does not know how to order the tickets…. Goodbye, Natsumi; Light; Ryuk," L said, turning to each in turn. Then, he left to go back to the hotel room. There was a pause.

"Well," I commented, "there you have it. Our biggest secret. Now, tell me, how do you like them apples?"

"Apples?" Ryuk asked.

I giggled. "It's an expression, Ryuk."

"Oh."

* * *

Time again, time again…. It was odd. This world was truly becoming… _home_. As living beings, we had to adapt to it. And adapt we did, until the point came that it was hard to imagine living any other way. It came with time. Years of a constant lifestyle causes any being to begin shifting everything into place. My eyes got rid of the few little things that made it an anime, as by then it became such a part of my life that it couldn't be anything _but_ real. Years passed. It wasn't 2005 for much longer. Before I knew it… I was turning seventeen… eighteen… nineteen… and twenty. _Holy shit, _I thought, _I'm twenty. I'm twenty years old. Where the hell did the time go?_

And then: _I don't want to grow up…._

The childhood I so longed to keep I felt was gone once I reached twenty. I had spent the last of what I considered my childhood in this new home. And, when I looked back on it, I almost felt robbed of those last few years….

Once Anna reached twelve years of age, we allowed her to read the manga, finally. She informed me and Sierra after she finished that she still liked _Naruto_ better. I then informed _her_ that _Naruto_ was something we couldn't really enjoy anymore, considering the fact it technically no longer existed. But that was alright.

2009, now. The month of March. Sam and L, who'd been living in Virginia for some time now, had been summoned by an anonymous government official for an important meeting, and thus they headed to Washington D.C. to meet the liaison responsible for communicating the government's proposal. Peter Cabolo, who ended up being said liaison, met them in his… office, so to speak. A few of Cabolo's guards stood outside the door to ensure security as Cabolo sat on one side of a table and Sam and L sat on the opposite side, facing him.

Peter Cabolo was an older man, his dark brown hair thinning. His face was stern and his brow was furrowed, and he wore glasses upon his face. Once Sam and L sat down to face him, Cabolo took off his glasses, setting them on the table. He leaned forward, folding his fingers together and resting on his elbows. "We all know the threat Kira poses to our world," said Cabolo. His voice was husky. "And you have made it known you are against Kira and would like him stopped."

"That is correct," said L.

Sam stayed silent, not wanting to speak for fear of messing L's plan up. …Whatever L's plan was.

Cabolo straightened up in his chair, taking his elbows off the table. "The government is putting together a group, the, ah, Special Provision for Kira; the SPK. Steve Mason, the man in charge of creating the group, has put a lot of thought into this, and he's decided he'd like you in it as members. What you have to let me know is whether or not you are going to join."

Sam opened her mouth to speak, but L spoke first.

"Yes, the both of us would love to do anything to help defeat Kira," said L.

…_Wait, what? _thought Sam.

_Please follow my lead, Samantha._

_Eh…._

_I will be with you every step of the way._

…_Meh. _"Of course," she said aloud. "I'm looking forward to helping out." _Looks like I'm meeting Near, _she thought.

* * *

L and Sam walked into the room that was currently SPK headquarters, Sam feeling very awkward. _Oh… I'm awkward around geniuses…. Except, apparently, with L, but that's just because he's awesome like that._

Seven of the eight people in the room turned to them and the man who had escorted them, Steve Mason.

"Near," said Halle to the one who hadn't turned to look at them, "there are people here."

"Leonard and Samantha DeNero," Near confirmed, setting a dice upon the little pile he was building up.

Sam shifted uncomfortably. _I prefer Sam…._

"Do you know why you're here?" Near asked the two of them.

"Yes," said L, "but please continue."

_Oh, _Sam thought. _Wow. That's so cool…. Near and L are actually meeting! Only Near doesn't know that…._

"Everyone here but you two are from the FBI or the CIA," said Near, still not facing them. "I was the one who decided you were a good addition to the organization. To be honest, I only wanted DeNero, but having Samantha here as well shouldn't do any harm. After all, you once had a connection with the Japanese police. As for why I wanted you, DeNero… you remind me of L."

_Ha! _Sam thought. _He isn't too far off, is he, L?_

_Not at all, _L responded. "I appreciate that," he said, "but isn't L not L anymore?"

Near let out a soft _heh_ and turned to look at them with that creepy little smile of his. "That is correct," Near replied. "I apologize. I should have been more specific."

The ghost of a smile passed over L's lips. _Just as I remember him, _L thought.

_What do you mean? _Sam asked._ That creepy smile?_

_Not necessarily; no._

_Hey, wait… you met him before?_

_Not face-to-face, _L replied. _He was with all of the other Wammy children, and they couldn't see me; I was speaking through the computer._

_Oh. I get it._

"Anyway," said Near, turning back to his dice, "you are now a part of the SPK."

"It is an honor," said L.

* * *

"Hm," I commented, staring at the letter addressed to me, given to me by the man at the main desk of the hotel, as I walked towards the elevator. "Who could be sending me a letter? Maybe Sam or Leonard, but they could just call me…." With a ding, I got off of the elevator at my floor, eyeing the return address, and headed to the room that was my home.

"Aunt Natalie!" Anna cried in delight, glomping me as I came through the door. I nearly fell over.

"Hi!" Sierra greeted.

I grinned. "Hi, guys! Guess what?" I asked, waving the envelope above my head. "Sam sent us a letter! I don't know why, though…."

"Cool!" Sierra yelped.

I shut the door behind me. "Okay, let's see here…." I opened the envelope as I sat on the bed, and slipped out the note as Anna and Sierra peered over my shoulder to read it.

_Dear Natalie,_

_Hi. This is weird, cuz normally I don't write, but I guess I kinda have to. L is in the shower right now, so it's unlikely he'll come out until he's done, and he can't see this. If he saw this, he would probably freak out and burn this up or something. Okay… Maybe not, but he'd tell me not to send it and ask why I was writing it when he told me specifically not to tell you what I'm about to tell you…. Well, anyway, back to the topic. I found out a little bit of what L's planning. I'm not completely sure what he's trying to do, but I know why we've been getting close to the government. Well, guess what, Natalie? We're in Near's group now! L and I are now in the SPK, and my guess is that he's trying to keep track of what's going on. Though nothing's really happening yet…. Speaking of things happening, what's your plan on what to do to save Mello and Matt and Mikami and Light? (I still don't understand why you want to save that bastard.) Actually, you're probably not going to answer…. No, you kinda shouldn't answer this letter cuz if you do then L will know I sent something. Just tell me next time I talk to you I guess. And you know what? L is awesome. He just is. Sorry, I just had to say that. So yeah._

_Sincerely,_

_Sam_

I blinked. "Cool," I commented. "Sam is working with Near. Epic sauce."

"Hell yeah epic sauce!" Sierra grinned.

Anna giggled.

"I wonder what sorts of things Anna and I will get to do…," commented Sierra, looking to the ceiling.

I shrugged. "Who knows?" I asked. "We'll find out eventually…."

* * *

"But there is a limit to what we can do to stop information from leaking on the net, and now the Kira case is at a dead end…," said Soichiro.

I sighed, leaning back on the couch in Soichiro and Sachiko's living room. It technically wasn't Light's anymore, since he'd moved to live with Misa, so… yeah. _Of course it's at a dead end, _I thought. _If Kira is leading you to catch Kira, you're not gonna get very far…._

Misa laughed. "You're contradicting yourself all over, Matsu," she said.

_Oops, I missed what he said, _I thought with a smile. _It's good to know I've retained some of my childishness…. Actually, I've kept a lot of it, but hey, I still never wanted to grow up in the first place._

"Well," said Light, "as long as you do not commit a crime… or rather, as long as you lead a good life, you might see it as an improvement. I can see that some people will easily conclude that."

_And this is coming from Kira himself. _I smirked.

"Are you talking about that again?" asked Sachiko. "Please, Light, not at home. You too," she added, looking to Soichiro.

_Soon everyone will see the changes in that way…, _Light thought.

I sighed. _Light, _I thought, _no matter how good a ruler is, there are always critics. Not every person will accept Kira. It's a fact._

_Alright, _he conceded. _Almost everyone, then._

_Sure…._

_The world is already moving in that direction, _he pointed out. _Faster than I expected, actually. People are aware of not only Kira, but…. _His thoughts faded into a senseless chattering at the back of my mind that I couldn't make sense of.

_I lost you, _I thought. _What?_

_I was not directing them at you._

_Oh, okay. Please continue fantasizing._

_I'm not fantasizing; I'm looking to the future._

_I'll take your word for it._

"I'm home," greeted Sayu, coming through the door.

"Oh, hey! I greeted.

"Hi," she smiled, then turned to Light. "To you too, Big Brother; Misa. I haven't seen you visiting together for a while."

"Hello there!" Misa said with a wave.

Matsuda stared at Sayu, mouth slightly agape.

"And Mr. Matsuda, right?" she asked. "It's been a while, too. I hear you're taking good care of my father."

"Oh…," Matsuda responded. "Y…yeah…. Sayu… you've grown, you're like a grown-up woman now. Last time I remember seeing you, you were this little." He held up his hand to demonstrate. "Right, of course, you were in junior high back then…."

_Why does this vaguely ring a bell? _I asked myself. _I wonder if we're back to the regular course of events. It's around the right time…._

"Jeez, Matsu, you've blushed to your ears!" Misa cried, pointing at him with both hands.

I laughed happily, while Light chuckled. _It's too bad it's probably a fake chuckle._

"Wha… no, I… don't mean…," said Matsuda frantically.

"There's no way Sayu is ever marrying a cop," said Soichiro. "Never."

"Oh, no, of course not," said Sachiko.

…_Then how come _you _can marry a cop? _I thought.

"…I didn't say anything…," Matsuda said weakly. "I didn't propose to her… I haven't even asked her out… yet…."

"Yet?" asked Sachiko, dropping her tray. "Wha—?"

"Oh, I think Mr. Matsuda is cute," said Sayu.

I mentally chuckled at that.

"Huh?" cried Matsuda. "Do you really, Sayu?"

"Yeah," Sayu replied, "if Matsuda was ten years younger, I might have considered going out with you."

Matsuda sighed, head bowed and looking depressed.

Sayu giggled, I laughed with my hand over my mouth, Light chuckled again. "She sure knows what she wants," Light remarked.

_Say, _I thought, _how would you feel if she died?_

He looked at Misa, who was speaking to him at the moment, but thought back, _I wouldn't be happy, Natalie, if that's what you think. I don't take joy in other's pain._

_Well, would you be sad?_

_I'd be disappointed._

_Would you kill her?_

_If I had to._

_Oh, you're nice!_

_Only if it was necessary, Natalie. You know that._

_Isn't that kinda selfish, killing her to ensure the safety of your identity?_

_If it means cleansing the world, no._

_Oh, I see where you're coming from now…._

_Exactly._

"You are too sweet, Light," said Misa, hugging his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Well," Light replied.

_I wonder how no one notices how annoyed he looks, _I commented in my head.

_It's because they are ignorant in their own rights._

_I didn't intend that thought for you, _I thought with a frown. _How did you receive it?_

He smirked slightly. _I think I have the upper hand when it comes to thoughts._

_Why?_

_Because this is my world. You're not from it._

_Oh… hey, that makes a lot of sense…. Wait, wouldn't be the other way around? I'm supposed to be able to read your thoughts because I'm from my world. Shouldn't _my _ability be better?_

_That was when you were in your own world, Natalie. You're in whole new territory here; it's the opposite of what it was in your world._

_Oh. That's logical. I think. You're not gonna switch my thoughts around, are you?_

_I don't think that's even possible, Natalie._

_Well, you could… eh, I don't wanna give you any ideas. That'd be a bad idea. _

_You know I wouldn't manipulate your thoughts._

I looked at him skeptically.

_What would be the purpose? _he countered. _Besides, I already know that obstacle you mentioned is coming up soon. I'm well prepared. Plus, I've been keeping an eye on L, as you know._

_What's L doing, anyway? He hasn't told me anything._

_He's still in America with Samantha, making an attempt to get close to the United States government._

_Oh, okay… that's about all I know, too…._

"_Abducted?_" Soichiro barked.

I jumped.

Light mentally chuckled. _You need to learn to pay attention to your surroundings, Natalie._

_You need to learn to…. Uh…. Yeah, never mind._

"Matsuda, Light, come with me," said Soichiro.

"What about me?" I cried.

"Oh, yeah, come on!" said Matsuda, and we made our way to the door.

_Could this, perhaps, be an obstacle? _asked Light.

_Perhaps._

_As I thought. There are two then…._

_What?_

'_What,' what, Natalie?_

_Uh, never mind._

"Who abducted whom?" Light asked.

_Oho, _I thought. _He has super grammatical skills._

_You still sound so childish, Natalie._

_You're the one who hates to lose, _I thought with a sniff.

"It's Mr. Takimura, the director of the Japanese police…," said Soichiro.

I sighed lightly. _Looks like the storyline is progressing again._

* * *

**Aaand... Near's in! :D He didn't have much of a part here, but... he's made his entrance. Hehe, I'm honestly looking forward to when Matt and Mello come in...**

_**Fun fact**_**: L's alias, Leonard DeNero, I actually came up with with the help of my grandma. I loved it, and the name stayed. She thought it was a name that sounded 'cool and mysterious.' Ha.**

**Review? For Near!**


	19. Chapter 19

**The first part... it's so short.**

**This amuses me.**

* * *

"Anna," I said upon reaching home, "Sierra, we're back in the game."

"Yay!" Anna grinned.

"I just lost The Game!" Sierra cried.

"Me too," Anna sighed.

I frowned. "Damn it."

* * *

_Is this what Natalie does all day? _Sam wondered. _Stand here, and wait? It's kinda boring…._

_Boring or not, Samantha, it is necessary, _thought L.

Sam frowned. _Meh._

"I've sent John McCenlo to Japanese police headquarters," said Near, eyeing Sam.

Sam immediately straightened up, trying to look more alert and attentive.

"There, we'll prove the notebook exists."

"Sounds good to me," Sam mumbled.

"The video feed should come up soon," said Rester.

"Well, that's good," commented Ill Ratt.

Sam frowned. _How am I supposed to remember all these people? _she thought. _Most of them I don't even remember existing._

_If you need a name I can send it to you through thought, if you want, _thought L. _It doesn't necessarily matter whether you actually learn their names. Most of them are killed, actually…._

_Um, can we stop that?_

_Yes. But it involves Light going on death row, and Natsumi doesn't want that._

_Right…. Speaking of which, what's you're plan to save him… and Mikami and Mello and everyone else?_

_Well, I have come up with something._

There was a pause. _Which is…? _asked Sam.

_Which is to be explained to Natsumi in due time._

_Why won't you tell meee?_

_Because you would not like it. You would be upset._

_Okay, now I really wanna know._

_I'm sorry, Samantha._

_You, L, are a meanie poop._

_I'm a… meanie poop?_

_Yes! Yes, you are!_

"Stop glaring at Leonard, Samantha," said Rester with a stern look.

Sam frowned. _I still like Sam._

"Yes," agreed Near, "there is information to be gathered."

"Oh," said Sam, straightening up, "um, sorry."

* * *

"Coffee," I said, looking around the hotel room. "I need coffee."

"Then get coffee," Aizawa replied in a slightly irritated tone.

"Technically," said Matsuda, "you don't _need _coffee."

I poured the coffee into a cup. "Oh, you know what I mean."

"Yeah," Matsuda agreed.

Light and Soichiro continued working silently on the computer, while Aizawa, Ide, Matsuda, and Mogi sat on the couch and puzzled over the recent kidnapping and the meeting between Soichiro and John McCenlo. Me? I proceeded to pour vast amounts of sugar into my coffee, stirred it, and took a large sip. Then choked.

"Ah!" I yelped. "This tasted fine before; why is it so… it's too… it's too _sweet_!"

"It's about time you realized that," Aizawa muttered.

"Well L's was sweeter," I snapped. "And besides," I sighed, "I like it like this." I took another sip and scowled. "_Why do my taste buds betray me?_" I cried, and set my coffee back on the table with the coffee maker on it.

"Maybe you developed a different taste," Matsuda suggested. "I know some people hate Brussels sprouts as a kid, then grow to like them when they get older."

"Did you grow to like them?" asked Mogi.

"No," Matsuda sighed.

"Natsumi," said Light without turning away from the computer, "when was the last time you had something sweet?"

"Oh," I replied. "Um… I… uh… dunno…." I gasped, then crumpled to the ground dramatically. "_No!_" I wailed. "I've lost my already-dwindling sweet tooth! It's gone! _All gone!_"

"Um, Natsumi, don't you think you're overreacting a little bit?" asked Matsuda.

I sat up abruptly. "No!" I responded. "Well… yeah. But I have the right to overreact if I _want _to overreact! I'm known to be… _dramatic._" I fell backwards, sighing with overly exaggerated drama on the last word for emphasis. "Like Sir Marsh-Mello and Artemis Fowl and Death the Kid and Tamaki and Light!" I sat up again. "I get it from my mom!" I grinned.

There was an uncomfortable sort of silence.

I frowned. The coffee was beginning to get to me. "Okay, I can't take this anymore! I'm not an orphan, okay? Stop acting all sad and stuff, I don't deserve the sympathy! My parents are _somewhere_ that _I don't know _and I'll _probably _never see them again but I'm still not an orphan! I lied about that part, and I'm sorry about that, but I'm telling you now that _none of us _are orphans!"

Then there was an awkward sort of silence.

"You _lied_ to us about that?" Aizawa asked angrily, rising to his feet.

"Eh… um… yeah," I replied softly, realizing my mistake too late. I picked my coffee back up and took a few large gulps of it. _God, the taste is… eh…._

"Please, Aizawa," Soichiro frowned. "She was only fifteen."

"And I'm sure she had good reason behind it," said Light.

Aizawa scowled and sat back down.

"I think Natsumi has contributed well to this investigation," said Mogi. "She was the one who found out Yotsuba was involved, right? Plus, she came up with the plan that caught Higuchi. As long as she's helping, it shouldn't matter what her past is."

"Point!" I exclaimed, then took another gulp of coffee. "Although, I should probably start being a bit more truthful with you guys. Like, all of our names are fake, and Michiyo and Yui are actually my nieces! Oh, and Sayuri's name is _Sam_."

Aizawa looked at me oddly. Like I was an idiot.

"Sam?" asked Mogi.

"Yeah. Sam. As in _Samantha._"

"Isn't that the girl whose name you shouted out?" asked Soichiro.

"Yeah." I began feeling even more full of energy. I began feeling like I had… _excess _energy. That hadn't happened in a while. "It's weird though considering we've known each other for years now and I haven't told you anything. I mean, honestly! Do any of you even know my favorite color?"

"Uh…," said Matsuda, thinking.

"It's red!" I cried in delight. "…Or blue-ish purple, depending on my mood. And there's all sorts of stuff I haven't told you!"

_Natalie._

"There's the fact that, for one thing, I'm an aunt, but I already said that. My friends and I have actually known each other since childhood, can you believe it? Heck, I'm not even from Japan! None of us are, actually…. We're really from _America!_" Random images flashed across my mind's eye, but I paid absolutely no attention to them. "And my eyes are epically special, see? _See? _Isn't that awesome?"

"Special?" asked Aizawa skeptically.

"I see things," I replied ominously. "Ooh!" I cried. "And then there's things I know and the things I've seen that no one else here knows!" I grinned.

_Natalie._

"So you're psychic?" asked Matsuda.

"Kinda! In a messed-up, kinda obscure way! For example, Matsu, your birthday is December fourteenth!"

"How did you…?'

"I'm awesome!" I proclaimed. "That's why!"

"Or maybe it's because you always get excited over your birthday when it comes," Aizawa frowned at Matsuda.

"Oh," replied Matsuda. "Maybe."

"Well," I said, pointing at Aizawa, "_you're _birthday is… is… oh, I have no idea…." I swiveled my finger to point at Light. "But _his _birthday is February twenty-eighth! Ooh, I know _lots _about dear old Light!"

Natalie.

"Did you know he doesn't like colors?" I asked. "And I know for a fact his hair is so—freakin'—soft! It's… it's _weasel hair! _Sam's a hypocrite, gosh! She _loves _weasels! _Aaand_ my friends hate him for obscure reasons! Like, Sam thinks his hair is stupid and Sierra thinks he's mean…. Oh, and I know some secretly secret secrets." I laughed my supposedly Light-like laugh. "I betcha didn't know Light is-!"

My voice was cut off, and there was a fleeting notion of a blank, white background and hand being clamped over my mouth. I blinked, confused. "…secretly named Frank…," I finished. "Um... what just happened?"

"You were ranting annoyingly about Light's secrets," Aizawa informed me bluntly.

"No—I mean…. There was…. Oh, never mind." _I swear there was a guy clamping his hand over my mouth a second ago. Light? Any ideas?_

_It appears we're more in sync than we thought._

…_What?_

_When you're hyperactive, there's no telling what sorts of things you could blurt out. I tried to stop you from saying anything stupid. It worked._

…_That's not creepy. And by the way, that's Sierra that blurts out secrets when she's hyper. I'm more controlled. I just spout random crap._

_I see._

_No… you probably don't, but that doesn't matter. Now back to being hyper. Trust me, I'll just _act _like an idiot – it's one of my quirks. _"I just had a rare experience!" I cried dramatically. "And I don't know what it was!"

"That's helpful," Aizawa muttered.

"Oh," said Soichiro. "Light, the real name of the FBI investigator who called himself John McCenlo is Rally Conaz."

"Okay," replied Light. "Good."

_You're not gonna kill him, are you? _I thought.

_No, _he replied._ Killing him is meaningless, and it's like telling them we have Kira._

_Oh. Right. Sorry. My deductive skills aren't that perfect when I have too much energy._

_I can tell._

"…And the director of the FBI immediately said that they would aid in the rescue of Director Takimura…," said Soichiro. "I suppose we can trust them…."

"My moment is gone," I sighed. "I'll just… go and spaz over here…. Alone…. In a corner…."

"Natsumi, don't say that," said Matsuda.

"Just use the energy to think," suggested Mogi.

"That would make all of our lives easier," commented Aizawa.

"Well...," I said thoughtfully, putting my brain to work. "The abductors haven't said anything, so I guess that could mean a few things. They _could _just not have a plan, but they must have a plan if they _kidnapped a guy_, and then there's the fact they must be at least _somewhat _smart, 'cause they knew about the notebook. Or perhaps they don't have anything to trade anymore. Maybe Director Takimura escaped, or he's already dead…. Or perhaps there are complications."

"See?" said Matsuda. "There you go!"

"Now try putting your brain to work _all _the time," said Aizawa.

I grinned. "With pleasure, Mr. Aizawa."

"In any case," said Light, "we need to be careful here. Even if the director doesn't know about the notebook, he knows who was investigating with L. If that were to be revealed, then you could be targeted."

"That's true…," said Matsuda nervously. "I think I'll spend the night at the police station…."

Then I remembered something. "_Sayu!_" I yelped.

"Light…," said Misa from the door, putting her finger to her mouth, wearing... very _revealing_ clothes. "I'll go to bed by myself tonight like a good girl, okay…?"

"Well," said Ryuk, "I won't sleep yet, but I'll go this way."

Every single damn guy in the room besides Light and Soichiro were staring and blushing. Though… Aizawa actually looked creeped out. "Okay," said Light. "Good night." Light didn't even look, actually.

"Good night…."

"Guys!" I exclaimed once she was gone. "Ah… Mr. Yagami, call your daughter and make sure she's alright!"

"Wha—why? What's wrong?" he asked, hastily trying to get his phone out.

"If director Takimura knew who worked with L, he also knows that you are the highest in command, so he'll go for your family first in order to ensure getting the notebook!"

"Yes," agreed Light. "Our families are in danger…."

Just as Light's dad was about to call, his phone beeped. "It's from the director's cell phone…," said Soichiro. "It's the suspect!" He looked pretty pale.

My hands went to my head and I crouched on the ground. _I'm too late…. Fuck…._ I didn't bother putting on the headphones.

"Ready?" he asked Matsuda and Aizawa, who were putting on the headphones.

"Yes," said Aizawa. "Trace the call!"

"Let's hope you're wrong, Natsumi," said Soichiro, then clicked the button. "…This is Yagami." A pause. "What?" Another. "B…bastard." Another long pause, and Soichiro's gaze shifted to me in horror. More time. "H…hey!" he yelped, and the call was over.

"They got her, didn't they?" I asked in a small voice.

"Yeah…," said Matsuda.

"Damn it…," I muttered. "I'm sorry…."

"Don't be," Soichiro replied.

_They beat me, _thought Light. _Using the director's death as an underhanded way to get Sayu… why didn't I think of it earlier?_

_Get used to it, _I thought with a sigh.

* * *

_Well, _I thought, _there I go again, acting hyper in front of them. How stupid of me. Utterly stupid. Oh well…. It's not like I'll let any secrets slip. _I gazed dully at the other members of the team, who were discussing the current situation. It was four o'clock am the next morning, and I hadn't gone to sleep. Normally I'd actually be okay, but when I'm hyper, I'm usually very tired afterwards. It sometimes makes for a Sleep Drunk me if I'm kept awake. But I prevented that by thinking seriously and keeping my brain going. _It's Sierra I have to worry about, _I continued. _If she were to burst in here while hyper on sugar, I'd know I'd have to somehow shut her up. Then Sam…. She might just end up acting like Light dying. It's happened before. _I put on the headphones as Soichiro picked up the phone to answer another call from the kidnapper._ …Which may or may not spoil the ending of his life for Light…. It's funny sometimes, though, when she freaks out, hugging walls, laughing hysterically, crawling on the floor pretending to be shot and crying out where people like Misa were…. He was so out of it at the end. _I sighed.

"Can't do that," said the voice on my headphones.

_I can't tell if it's Mello or not, _I thought. I glanced at Light. He seemed to be absorbed in the conversation, listening with a serious look. _Well, he doesn't _look _like he's listening to my thoughts, but how can I be sure anymore? Great… and here I thought I was the one with the better mind reading skills. I thought I only had them because I'm from my world. I guess it's just because we're from different worlds that we can hear them. Just like he can hear mine, and L can hear Sam's. It's odd how that works…. I wonder who's got Sierra and Anna. Well, I'm not going to find out anytime soon, what with the fact they never meet with anyone…._

"Alright, alright," said the voice. "I'll send you another message to your e-mail account."

I took off the headphones once there was a click, signaling the end of the call. _Well, I barely paid any attention to that. But that's alright, really, because I already know what they said…. Even if I did really want to know what happened because I, say, forgot, I could always just look it up. Thinking about it now, though… it makes me feel bad for my nieces. They're stuck in that hotel room with nothing to do but read, listen to my Walkman, and go on the computer. I suppose they could go out on a walk, too. Actually, they _need_ to once in a while. If Sierra doesn't run for too long a period of time, she'll get hyper. And that isn't necessarily a very good thing. You know, I don't really know what Anna's like when she's hyper. I guess she's just… _hyper _when she's hyper. Hm._

I looked around. Everyone was gaping at Soichiro. _He probably just said he was taking the notebook to LA, _I thought.

"Dad," said Light, "in that case, we need to come up with a plan first."

_Yep. He just said he was taking the notebook to LA._

"That's right, Mr. Sub-director," said Ide.

"But it's in LA in two days," said Soichiro. "Time's running out…."

_You'll be fine. Sayu will be traumatized, but…. Oh, I wish I could have prevented that. She withdraws from the world after this because this. Damn it…._

"But he even specified the hotel," said Ide. "If we just waltz in there like nothing, we'd be playing right into their hands."

"No," said Aizawa, "I think what Light means is that if the location's been fixed it'll be easier to come up with a counter plan."

"How about this?" I asked. "If I may suggest, I think there shouldn't be any tricks." _No reason to mess up this part of the plot._

"I agree," said Soichiro. "There'll be no tricks this time."

Light turned back to the computer. "Understood, Father…."

_You know, I think I just caused the skip of an entire conversation. Oh well… less waiting for me, I guess. To be honest, I just want L's take on all this so we can put our plan into action before it's too late. I wonder what he's come up with…. _I glanced at Light. _I _really _hope he didn't hear that…._

_Hear what, Natalie?_

I sighed. _I was going on about how soft your hair was, _I responded smoothly. It was the first thing I came up with.

…_Right._

_It would have been awkward… which it probably is now…. Well, that was pointless. I wonder, can you send images to people, too? Hmm…. What to send, what to send…._ Hula dancing characters obviously came to mind, but I rejected them quickly. _How about Light throwing a cake in L's face? _I thought of that picture on Sam's iPod with all my might.

He either ignored me, or didn't see it. Knowing him, he probably stopped listening after he said, 'Right.' Oh well. "It's a system that lets you hear on your cell phone calls made to another," said Light. "It hasn't been made public yet, so it's safe. It'll come in handy. There's no telling what method they'll use to contact him; but, at the very least, they'll still have to make calls to his cell phone for the time being."

"I see," said Matsuda.

"We won't put a transmitter or listening device on Dad."

"Understood," said Ide.

I sighed lightly with a content sort of smile. _Time is going along again…. Time to move forward._

* * *

_**Fun fact**_**: Another thing on L's alias, Leonard DeNero. I have an eraser (a pink one that says 'Charles Leonard,' or something) that I noticed the name 'Leonard' on. So, I named the eraser Leonard DeNero and drew L's chibi face on the back. Thus is the story of my amazing eraser.**

**...Yeah, I'm weird.**

**Review? For caffeine!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Okay... so... we're back into the flow of the canon storyline, so there will be some recognizable canon scenes. Luckily, I have thought conversations on my side now~ c: Plus, we're actually getting somewhere with my own plotline, so I won't be having as much canon conversations as with the last canon arc. Yay for original stuff~**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Dot dot dot, _thought Sam idly. _I can't listen to all of this smart stuff…. I don't have that large of an attention span._

"If it is, in fact, the case, it means Kira is obtaining information meant for Japanese law enforcement," said Near.

A bald man with a grey mustache's phone rang. _Steve Mason, _L informed her was his name.

Steve Mason stared at his phone. "It's L," he said. "The current one."

_L, my ass, _thought Sam. _That's just Light being a wannabe L._ _Which Light fails at._

"Phone," said Near, holding out one hand and twirling his hair with the other. "L the second!" Near greeted with a creepy smirk. "Pleased to meet'cha!"

Sam sputtered with laughter. _What the hell?_

"Oh, it's no use trying to hide it," said Near.

_L? _Sam thought. _Is this at all weird to you?_

_I can't say I've ever experienced this situation before, _he replied.

_Well, duh. Who can say they died, and survived?_

_Matsuda._

_Oh. …But still! Isn't it weird at all?_

_Yes, I suppose so…._

"And I'm the head of the SPK…," Near continued. "Hmm… let's see… N!"

"_Oh my god,_" Sam whispered. "I swear, that smile looks like his _rape face_."

"Did you just say that Near's smile looks like a rape face?" L asked, staring at her confusedly.

Near put his hand to the phone. "What was that, Leonard?"

L pointed to Sam. "She thinks your smile looks like a rape face."

Near swiveled his gaze to Sam.

Sam stared back awkwardly. _Did you have to _say_ that? _she asked through thought.

_I was only stating fact, and you yourself said it aloud…._

"...I'm not sure how to respond to that," Near stated, then looked to the phone. "What's wrong, L?" asked Near.

Sam's frame of mind immediately switched to the new subject. _Oh, wow, Light just failed._

_Not necessarily, _thought L. _It just means he's most likely to be surprised right now, which is good. As long he isn't expecting anything, things will work out well. If he looks too far ahead and plans things differently than he's supposed to, there could be a failure in the plan and Light will die, or worse, Kira will win, and Near, the SPK, Mello, and the task force will die._

_Um… what about us?_

_I may or may not die, and you and your three friends will likely survive. It's probable you four would be the ones who would have to defeat Light._

_Oh… that's great._

_My concern for that outcome is that Natsumi will still want to keep him alive, which would be increasingly difficult as time goes on…._

_If she did want to keep him alive after he killed you and everyone else, I would slap her._

_I appreciate that._

_Oh. Thanks. I think._

_You're welcome._

* * *

_Ah. Natalie, I believe it in your interest to know something._

I glanced at Light, who had recently put down the phone. _Oh, cool, you're actually being sure to keep your promise to not keep secrets?_

_That is correct…. What, exactly, do you take me for, Natalie?_

_Eh…. Actually, I see you as a very polite and intelligent person… who really needs friends and lies too much._

_Ah._

_Yeah. Sorry. No secrets, remember?_

_Yes._

_Anyway, what did you want to say?_

_L has the same inconsistent lifespan as you now._

_You mean, he probably can't be killed with the Death Note?_

_Most likely not, if that's the reason you can't be killed. I can't say for sure._

_That makes sense…. Wow, thanks for telling—Hey, wait... how do you know that?_

_Ryuk saw him the day I last saw him, remember?_

I frowned. _And it took you _that long _to decide to tell me this?_

_No. It took me this long to actually pry the information from Ryuk._

_Oh…. Can I let L know? _I thought excitedly.

_I don't see why not… but don't do it on your cell phone – our cells are connected now._

_Light, I'm not an idiot. I'll do it later… on Sierra's phone…._

_That would be smart._

_Yup._

* * *

"I honestly agree with that," L commented to Near. "If we take advantage of the imposter being in charge, we can observe his moves and—" He was cut off by a ringing sound. L sighed. _I hate when that happens._

"You can answer it," said Near, then threw a dart at the dartboard.

_I hope he doesn't miss, and end up hitting someone, _Sam thought.

"Yes?" asked L with an irritated tone as well as expression. A pause. "Hello, Natsumi." A longer pause. "Ah, thank you. …Yes. I know. Goodbye."

"Natsumi who?" asked Gevanni.

"The girl who works with the Kira task force in Japan, probably," said Near, then threw another dart. "Am I correct?"

"Uh, yeah," said Samantha.

"So that's her name," Near commented. "There are no records of her."

_Creeper, _Sam thought.

"I'm guessing her name is fake," continued Near, aiming for another throw. "Just like yours, Samantha, and yours, DeNero. Pretty much everyone here, actually." He threw the dart. It missed.

_Fail, _Sam thought.

Near examined the next dart. "As you were likely going to say, DeNero, we can observe the current L's moves and determine if he's Kira or not…. And it's just fun to see him squirm." He threw the dart.

At least it didn't miss the dart board again.

* * *

The next day, I walked into our headquarters blearily. "I had the weirdest dream last night," I said. "I was apparently Kira for some odd, obscure reason, and I was killing all these people, but because I was still me the guilt was eating me alive, and then L randomly came back to life, which was creepy yet awesome, and caught me and arrested me, which apparently greatly horrified me…. It was a weird dream." I then noticed my surroundings. One, everyone was staring at me oddly. Two: "Matsuda," I said, "did you get a haircut?"

"Uh, no," he replied. "I just made sure it was real neat today…."

"Oh… oops. I just thought maybe my brain was playing tricks on how neat it randomly was…." Then I noticed Light had a suitcase at his side and seemed to be ready to address the group. "Oh. Sorry. I'll shut up now."

Light gave a little nod. "Well then," he said, "I'll go on ahead and, as L, move the preparations along…." Misa came in behind him as he spoke.

"Um," said Matsuda, "Light, behind you…."

"Oh, yeah, Misa starts shooting in Hollywood too, so I thought that if we went as a couple it would look less conspicuous – that's about it. It goes without saying that we'll be staying in separate hotels."

"Huh?" asked Misa with an annoyed look. "Separate hotels?"

"Well," Ryuk commented, "I'll be getting to go to an amusing location, so I'm happy, Light."

"Got it!" said Matsuda, overlapping Ryuk's comment. "Then I'll be taking the next flight."

"And I'll take the one that follows – after I have my hair cut, actually," said Aizawa. "Mogi will be the one to stand by at headquarters."

"And finally," said Ide, "the sub-director and I will take the last flight."

I raised my hand. "Can I come with you and Misa, Light?" I asked.

"No!" Aizawa snapped.

"Wait, I didn't finish, Mr. Aizawa! Meanie…. See, I could be your kid!"

"Ooh!" cried Misa excitedly. "I think it's a _great _idea!"

"Natsumi," said Ide, "aren't you a little old to be their daughter?"

"Yes," Light agreed. "You're twenty years old. I'm twenty-two. It's physically impossible."

"You can pretend to be older, and I can be younger," I suggested.

"I don't want to be old…," said Misa.

"Hmm…," I hummed contemplatively. "Adoption!"

"The kidnapper probably knows who we are!" Aizawa cried in exasperation.

"And therefore they know I don't have a daughter," said Light.

"Right…. Then where do I go?" I asked.

"Maybe you could go on the Sub-director and Ide's flight," suggested Matsuda. "I don't think there are any records of you, so they probably don't know who you are."

"We already have Ide on that flight to keep an eye on Dad," said Light. "One is enough."

"She can stay here with Mogi," Aizawa suggested.

"No," Light said. "Natsumi can go with—"

"Matsuda?" I asked hopefully.

"—Aizawa," Light finished.

I looked cautiously over at Aizawa. "Alright," he said. "That's fine. Natsumi, _please _don't get on my nerves."

"I'll try my almost-best not to," I replied.

"Light…," said Soichiro. "It doesn't matter if I give my life up – I'm counting on you to save Sayu."

_Nah, _I thought. _You die in an explosion._

"Don't say that nonsense, Dad," said Light.

_Oh, Light, we know you don't really care._

_Oh really?_ I sensed coldness in his tone._ Are you suggesting I don't care about the life of my own father?_

_I'm not saying you don't care, I'm saying you wouldn't be that upset if he died. …You know, I find it amazing how you're still talking while we converse through thoughts._

_I'm good at multitasking._

_What, like doing homework, listening to the news, writing names, and eating chips dramatically all at the same time?_

_Well, yes, that is an example…._

_Exactly! My gosh, Light, you really can be so dramatic. Are you aware of how dramatically you ate those chips?_

I got no response.

* * *

_Yay! _I thought. _I'm on a plane! _I was assigned to seat 36-B, right next to Aizawa. Then Soichiro and that dude that works with Mello came on the plane, which screwed up the plan we had. "Isn't that-?"

"Yes. Be quiet," Aizawa hissed. He took out his computer.

"Are you contacting-?"

"_Yes._"

"…Should I shut up?"

He glared at me pointedly.

I smiled. _'Okay,' _I mouthed.

He shook his head silently and typed up a message to send to Light.

_Speaking of Light, _I thought, _it's nice to know he can't hear me right now. Right? If he could, that'd be creepy…. At least it isn't like we're sharing emotions and all that crap… like Harry Potter…. Now _that _would be creepy. And then Sam would start sharing emotions with L… well, he has no emotions, so maybe he'd get some…. God, that'd be weird._

Light sent a message back, and Aizawa read it, then began to reply. All the while, there was a dull muttering in the back of my head. White noise. It was so natural by then, that I didn't even notice it. _If he could hear my thoughts right now, I'd probably tell him to stop yelling at Misa, 'cause I think that's what he's doing right now…. Or maybe I'd tell him just to calm the heck down. He freaks out right about now._

_Shut up; just _shut up! _I can't hear myself think!_

My thoughts stopped short in shocked silence as I physically stiffened. Light could certainly hear me. And boy, was he _angry. _I could just imagine him yelling at Misa at that exact moment. And I knew he was angry. I could almost feel it.

_Crap, _I thought with a little sigh. _There goes that little scrap of hope. I can read his emotions now…._ I frowned, then looked at Aizawa. He looked deep in thought. It was unreal how he couldn't hear it. The incessant chattering, the frustrated tones; he didn't feel or hear any of it. He was utterly oblivious. I just sorta sat uncomfortably in my seat, trying hard not to think anything specific. Light was angry enough; I didn't need to feed it.

"All passengers, this is your captain, Kyle Brooke, speaking," said a voice on the speakers. "We'll be carrying out an emergency landing at this time."

My lips pulled into a thin line. _Nothing to do but wait._

* * *

_Okay, _Sam thought, _so Mello is being Mello-y and kidnapped people. And now that person's saved, and the Death Note is now in their hands. Right?_

_That is correct, _L replied.

_Great._

"The first L…" said Near, stacking dice into a tower, "he gave his life…."

_Pff, the first L is right here, _Sam thought, trying not to laugh. The she thought of the impression she would make on everyone if she was caught laughing at that moment: they'd think she thought L's death was funny. That, for some obscure reason, made her want to laugh even more.

_Don't laugh, _thought L. _I'm dead._

And L saying that just made her want to laugh even more. She spent the next minute or so trying not to laugh, until a guy actually fell to the ground and died right in front of her. Then she stopped laughing.

"Dierector Mason," Rester said in alarm.

_Um… who's the guy that died? _Sam thought cautiously.

_Steve Mason._

"Gardner," Rester spoke again as another man went into cardiac arrest.

_Ellickson Gardner._

"Ratt?" Halle cried as someone committed suicide, shooting himself in the head.

_Ill Ratt, _L informed Samantha.

Meanwhile, Near's tower had fallen apart.

Sam gulped.

"N, what's wrong?" came Light's altered voice. "What was that gunshot just now?"

Near didn't look up from his messed-up dice tower. "We're beaten," he stated.

"Beaten?"

_Yes, Light, beaten, _Sam thought, annoyed. _I swear, he's secretly an idiot._

_Samantha, he just wants clarification on what Near meant by that._

…_Oh._

"It seems most people here… or rather, most of the members of the SPK have been killed…."

So, the conversation continued. _Are we just going to keep talking to Light… without doing anything about the dead bodies?_

_Yes, that's correct._

_Um… alright then…._

Near explained to Light about Mello, after agreeing to cooperate, and Sam listened quietly to their conversation. Soon, Light ended the connection, and there was a moment of silence.

"Near," said L, stepping forward. "I can't do this anymore. I want to leave the SPK."

Sam was dumbfounded.

"And why is that, Leonard?" asked Near quietly, slowly trying to rebuild his dice tower. "You made a commitment to this organization."

"Many of the SPK members are dead," he said, "and all of them had aliases. I just don't want to put my life on the line."

"But you knew that from the start!" exclaimed Halle. "You can't quit now."

"I can," L disagreed, "and will do so."

"Lidner is right," commented Near. "You knew beforehand you would be putting your life at risk."

"Then I apologize for never seeing death in the face. I can't do it. I'm sorry. I'll help to the best of my ability from the outside. Samantha will stay here with you." He turned away.

Sam's mouth dropped open. _What?_

"Outside help is unnecessary," Near said. His voice had a hint of coldness. "You're either in or not. Goodbye, Leonard."

"Goodbye, Near; everyone," L replied, and walked to the exit.

Sam opened her mouth to speak, but a thought message from L stopped her. _You will stay here, _he thought.

_What's this? _she thought questioningly.

_My apologies, Samantha, but I must be elsewhere. You must stay here to keep an eye on the SPK._

_So you're ditching me?_

_To put it simply… yes._

_What the hell?_

_Do tell me when you can't hear my thoughts anymore._

_Dude! You can't just leave me here! Near scares me!_

_I'm sorry._

_No, you're not._

_No, I'm not._

_Okay, that's just mean._

_I'm just trying to agree with you._

_Oh my god._

_I'm frustrating you._

_No shit, Sherlock!_

_I'm not Sherlock, I'm L. Actually, I'm not even L anymore._

_It's an expression, dumbass._

_I see._

_No, you don't._

_Yes, I do._

_Don't disagree with me._

_You got angry before._

_Oh, shut up!_

_I'm in a taxi. Can you hear me now?_

_Can you hear me hear you now? Yes, I can hear you!_

_Good._

_But you annoy me. You ditched me, you meanie poop!_

_I'm apparently a meanie poop._

_Exactly!_

"Samantha, are you alright?" asked Gevanni. "You look upset."

"Well, her father just left her behind," Halle pointed out.

"I can understand why that's upsetting," Rester commented.

"Even I can get that," Near remarked. "If that happened to me, I'd probably be pretty pissed off."

"Meh," Sam muttered. "He wasn't even my dad."

* * *

**Poor Sam. Left behind by L to be stuck with the SPK. Oh well. She'll survive.**

**...Writing thought conversations is fun. c: Though now... we've got emotions in the mix... Oh dear.**

**Well... Mello _kinda _came in... He comes in a little later, though, really. But don't be mistaken; he and Matt actually end up having a pretty important part of this story, so... just wait. They'll come.**

_**Fun fact**_**: Last chapter, I mentioned that Sam acts like Light when she's hyper. ...That actually only happened twice. Ha.**

**Review? For poor Sam!**


	21. Chapter 21

**_SmokeyUchiha_** **_(Guest)_: **Yes, I rather like Sam and L's conversations. They were so fun to write~ Yeah... Near can be _a bit _creepy. You ask for an update? Here you are, dear reader!

**Enjoy, then! ^^**

* * *

"Ah," I sighed, looking up at the hotel that loomed over me. I gazed at the city around me. "I'll be staying here for a while, won't I? It's my first time in Los Angeles, too…." I headed to the front doors, but a man sitting on a bench caught my eye. He was waving at me, though I couldn't see his expression. I cocked my head to the side in confusion and stopped walking. He, on the other hand, got to his feet and made his way over to me. As he drew closer, I began to recognize him. He held out his hand to greet me, a blank expression on his face. I wanted to hug him, but he wouldn't appreciate that, so I took his hand and shook it with a grin. "Leonard!" I greeted happily. "What brings you here?"

"Things," he replied vaguely. "Could you bring me to your hotel room?"

"Sure…," I replied, slightly confused, and began heading to the elevator. L followed behind me. "I almost didn't recognize you in that suit. And you even have a suitcase!"

"Yes," he agreed, scratching his head. "I don't look like myself."

When I opened the door to my hotel room, I quickly shut it behind us. "Okay," I said, "I'm only in this hotel until tomorrow. Then, I have to go into the same hotel as everyone else. In fact, Aizawa is in this hotel, just on the other side, so you have to be careful."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I sighed, glad to have gotten that out of the way quickly. "So, tell me what's happening," I said with a smile.

He gazed at me. "I can get into better clothing first, right?"

I laughed. "Of course! Go ahead!"

He was soon coming out of the bathroom in his signature long-sleeved white shirt and baggy blue jeans.

"Better?" I asked.

"Much," he replied. "I've had to wear suits for the past few months, and I can't say I enjoyed it very much."

"I don't mind suits," I shrugged. "I wore a suit twice in my life that I can think of off the top of my head. Wait – make that six. Four times of which I was pretending to be Light."

L cocked his head to the side questioningly.

"Well, once was for Halloween, another was on Sam's request, another was on my nieces' request, and one was when I went to a con. Con is short for convention, and there are lots of conventions in our world where you dress up like a character from an anime. Or manga. It's called cosplay."

"I see," L replied. "Your personality wouldn't be hard to alter to be like his."

"Uh… is that an insult?"

"Not necessarily. I wasn't trying to insult you. I apologize if I offended you."

"No; you didn't. He has an amazing personality if you take out the corrupted and killing part of it."

"My opinion is a bit more negative," said L, "but I see where you're coming from."

"Yeah…. So what did you want to say, Leonard?" I asked.

"Well, first… can I have something to eat? I haven't had a decent amount of sugar in months."

"Oh, um, sure…." I went into the kitchen area and got some coffee and a jar of sugar, then grabbed the box of donuts I had recently bought. It was good to be back in America.

"Thank you," said L, taking a donut and biting it. He sat – or rather, crouched – on the bed, the plate and jar in front of him. I moved the bedside table up more so he could set his tea down. "Second," said L with a mouthful of donut, "may I stay at your hotel room in Japan for a while?"

"Sure!" I replied. "I'm sure my nieces will be delighted."

He swallowed the last of that donut. "Good. Third," he said, pouring sugar into his coffee and stirring it with a spoon, "I'm curious about something. I'm sure you can help with it."

"What is it?" I asked.

He continued gazing at the sugar pouring into his cup of coffee as he replied, "I'd like to find out why Samantha is synchronized with my mind. Why not Mello, or Near? Mello would be anyone's first guess, considering her rebellious nature and overemotional personality. There must be something I'm missing, then. What?"

"Well," I commented, "you said it had to do with childhood, right?"

"Precisely," L replied. "This may be an odd question, Natsumi, but could you give me Samantha's childhood story?"

By then I had sat down in the only chair in the room. I smiled crookedly. He'd phrased that amusingly. "Everything, then?" I asked from my chair, smile gone. "Even the personal stuff?"

"Don't leave out any details," he replied with a mouth full of donut.

"Well, she never knew her dad," I commented. I took a deep breath, and sighed. It was time for me to go into story mode. I hadn't done that in a while. "I don't know every bit of who Sam is. No one can truly know a person. Sometimes one doesn't even know oneself. Sometimes I think to myself that we're all isolated within our own minds. Of course, that changed with the whole syncing of the minds and all that….

"Anyway, she was a pretty normal kid back in elementary school. A happier one, too. She had a horrible temper, though…. But so did I, so I guess we're even. She used to be very cheerful, really, and always tried to wake up before me. Whatever happened to _that _habit, I don't know. Then she moved to the duplex when her parents split up, and I lost contact with her for awhile. By the time I saw her again, over a year later, her temper had died down considerably. Eventually came the change, though. There had to have been a change if she's so serious and… kinda grumpy now.

"I think it was around when her mother started dating, and eventually marrying, Marty. She became darker after that. That bright, teasing, playful, get-up-early, lovable spirit began retreating, allowing a darker person come out." I gazed at the ground, thinking back. "At first I'd thought she just changed. She told me at one point that she was still very lovable inside. I didn't understand that at first. It was months, possibly even over a year, later before I made a breakthrough and finally understood her. The old—no, sorry, her _true _self, is still there. It was always there. But she blocked people out for a time, and I guess that changed her…. Some parts are different now. Like the times when she's really silent and I just can't seem to make her smile." I shrugged. "But change happens. Though the people at her school didn't help her case what with the way they treated her..."

L gazed at me with that wide-eyed, unblinking look of his, the cup of sugary coffee at his lips. He set the cup down. "She became callous? No, that's not the right word…." He looked to the ceiling. "She was hurt. So her joyfulness dulled. Her real self retreated; another self surfaced. But in doing that, her true self changed. Correct?"

"Correct."

"Then that's why our minds are connected," he said thoughtfully, putting his index finger to his mouth.

"So that's what happened to you?" I wondered aloud.

"Ah," he said, ignoring the question and lowering his hand again, "and there was one other thing I wanted to say. I'd like to speak to you about the plan I've come up with."

"So you _have _come up with something?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course I have," L responded expressionlessly. "The only way we can both stop Kira and save Light is either for Light to stop killing, or for Light to lose his memories permanently. He'd have amnesty if he technically never did it. He'd be watched for a while, but he wouldn't be put on death row. Now, both of us know that Light won't stop killing at will..."

"So how do you plan on making Light lose his memories?" I asked tentatively.

"He has to forfeit ownership of the Death Note in order to lose his memories, and he would only do that if he was cornered and had no other choice, and if he thought he was getting his memories back. He would have to be confident he would somehow get his regain the notebook, and thus his memories. Otherwise, he wouldn't do it. Now, there's only one time in which he'd be put in such a position."

"The Yellow Box warehouse," I whispered.

"Exactly," replied L, and took another bite of donut.

"You're going to eat all of my donuts, aren't you?" I asked.

"Probably," L replied.

I sighed. I'd just bought those.

"Anyway," he said, "we would have to be sure Ryuk won't kill him. Natsumi… you will have to make a deal with him. Give him a few bags full of apples, asking for a single favor. Then in the warehouse, if he's about to kill him, remind him of the deal and ask him not to kill Light. Bring an apple with you so you he won't betray the deal. No… bring three, just in case."

"Alright," I said. "So now Light won't die. Or rather, Ryuk won't kill him. How do we know Light will get the idea to forfeit? Plus, he wouldn't know for sure he'll ever get his memories back."

"Have you been playing to role of Kira supporter?" L asked me.

"Uh, yeah," I replied. "You told me to, so I did…."

"Good," he said. "You will suggest him to forfeit."

I stared at him, confused, surprised, and critical of the idea.

"Not aloud," he added. "And you will reassure him you will get the Note back to him as soon as possible. Promise to be the new Kira for a short period of time, if you have to."

I shifted uncomfortably, not too keen at the mere idea of me being Kira. "Even so," I said, "what if he doesn't trust me enough?"

"If you play your cards right, you should be fine. Besides…" – he swallowed some donut – "…he'll probably be desperate enough to take any chance."

"But…." I shifted uncomfortably some more. I didn't want to take any chances here. If we failed here, Light would be dead, and to be honest, I _really _didn't want that. I'd already failed in my first plan with L….

"Trust me," said L. "It will work."

"Eh; um…," I said uncertainly.

"No children will die this time," L assured dully.

"What child could die in this situation anyway?" I replied with a little nervous laugh. "Unless Near were to die or something, but he's not a kid…. Speaking of Near, how are we saving Mello?"

L looked to the ceiling. "It's difficult due to the fact he died because of his own plan. He kidnapped Takada willingly, knowing the danger, but he pushed himself too far in doing so."

"True," I conceded. "Then… what about Matt?"

"He died naturally, it had nothing to do with the Death Note."

"Oh, yeah, that's a point…."

"Yes. I'm sorry about that. But there's another thing I must say: reading thoughts over long distances is possible."

"I learned that the hard way," I said with a weak smile. "Light heard me thinking while we were thousands of miles apart."

"And I can hear Samantha's thoughts right now."

There was a pause. "What's she thinking?" I asked curiously.

L looked to the ceiling a moment. Listening. "'Wow, Near talks too much. Actually, so does L. Why do geniuses talk too much?'" L frowned. "I don't know whether to be offended or to take that as a compliment."

"Just take it as a compliment," I said. "It makes life easier." I could feel a vague surge of satisfaction that wasn't mine. "Oh, and L—I mean, Leonard… there's a new development on my part."

"And what's that?" asked L.

"I can sense Light's emotions now, too…. It's creeping me out…."

There was another pause. "What is he feeling right now?" L asked curiously.

I thought a moment. I wasn't good at this. Plus, sometimes it was hard to tell his emotions from my own. That was the creepiest part of all. …But I didn't say that part aloud. "Uh… satisfaction, I think," I informed him.

L nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I'll look into that, then," he said. "Thank you for telling me." He paused. "And try not to let the emotions control or overwhelm you," he added.

I frowned. "It would be creepy if we started literally sharing emotions. ...Oh, great," I grumbled. "That idea's in my head now. Now I'll have wacky dreams about Light being like my twin or some crap like that."

"I can see how that might be disturbing," L commented. "However," he said, getting to his feet, "I must be leaving now – Aizawa cannot make contact with me, nor can anyone else. I will be meeting you back at your hotel… around December fifth, I believe."

I blinked. It was October eighteenth. "Will it really be that long until we go back to Japan?"

"Yes."

My mind on Los Angeles, a thought came to mind. "Hey Leonard, I have quick question."

He turned to look at me.

"In the Los Angeles BB Serial Murder Cases, was it really Beyond Birthday from Wammy's that was the murderer? Or was that just a story?"

"It was B," L confirmed, then grabbed his suitcase thingy and went to the bathroom to change back into his suit. "Well," he said upon reentering the room, "that was nice while it lasted. I'll see you in December."

"Yeah, bye!" He left, shutting the door behind him. I stood there a moment, thinking about how my nieces would react when L came knocking on their door. I smiled, then looked at the clock. "Crap!" I yelped, grabbing my coat. "It's been a half hour already! I need to get to headquarters!" I pulled my coat on hastily, then rushed out the door.

* * *

"Alright, so this will be the current headquarters until we go back to Japan," said Aizawa.

"And until then we'll be staying in the nearest hotel – or even in this hotel in particular," I said. "Right?"

"That's correct," agreed Light.

"Yeah, well… Aizawa and my hotel isn't exactly right around the block…."

"We just need to move closer," Aizawa replied.

"Aizawa, you don't even know the point I'm getting to," I said calmly.

"He probably just assumed…," said Ide.

"Precisely," I grinned.

Aizawa frowned. "What are you getting at?"

"But anyway," I continued, ignoring his question, "I have next to no money left; I can't afford another hotel room. I hate to be rude, but can I room with one of you guys to save money? I don't mind the floor, and with me there it won't cost much more. I'll pay for my own food."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Light. "We can pay for your room."

"No!" I cried. "I don't want to take money away from any of you!"

"Then how can you not have any money left?" asked Aizawa.

I frowned. "Aizawa, I don't have a job, and yet I still have to take care of my friends. I get a lot of my money from Light's mother. And I _still _think that's unfair."

"She has a point," said Matsuda. His hair looked normal again today; he obviously hadn't made as much of an effort to make it look nice. Still, I personally think that it's better when it's messy like that. It looks more pettable.

"Yeah…," Aizawa reluctantly agreed.

"This is just silly, Natsumi," said Light.

"How about we just pay for it, and you can pay us back?" asked Matsuda.

"With Light's mom's money?" I countered.

"Oh…," said Matsuda.

"We're courteous," said Mogi, "we can all pitch in. Then we won't give as much each. Would that make you feel better?"

I sighed heavily. "Maybe I should just stay in my current hotel and get up really early in the morning…."

"But you hate mornings," said Matsuda.

"Still," I said. _C'mon, I need to room with Misa – it's the only thing in can think of to catch Ryuk alone! _I thought. My thoughts were guarded – or, at least, I hoped so. _Light, _I thought openly, _I need to be with Misa. Discuss plans and crap like that._

_Natalie, _he thought in an annoyed tone, _we have thoughts for that sort of thing._

_But I need to talk to Ryuk and Misa, _I thought back sincerely. Then I added, _And no, you can't just relay it to them._

I heard a mental sigh. He was annoyed; perhaps my being there was outside the scope of his plans. "Everyone, enough debating," Light frowned. "It's plain out stupid to be discussing this with the current problem at hand."

"But what about-?" asked Matsuda, but Light cut him off.

"She can stay with Misa. There's a couch in her room; she can sleep there."

_You know, _I thought, _I just realized I'm the only girl here…. Wow, I fail. Did it really take me that long to figure that out?_

_You do tend to be slow on the uptake at times._

_Hey!_

_It's only the truth._

…_Yeah… it is…._

* * *

Anna heaved a sigh. "I'm bored," she said.

"Aw," said Sierra. "Well, so am I, actually…. Wanna go for a walk? And we can get some candy while we're at it…."

Anna's expression brightened. "Sure!" She jumped up and rushed to the door, flinging it open to find not an empty hallway but L, fist raised as though about to knock.

"Oh," he said. "Hello."

Anna blinked. "L!" she cried in delight, glomping him. Sierra soon followed suit upon realizing there was an L in the doorway.

Once L was released, he walked into the room, Sierra closing the door behind him. "Before we begin," he said, "I'll be getting into more comfortable clothing…."

"Alright!" Sierra grinned. As L went to the bathroom to change into his white shirt and jeans, Sierra headed to the kitchen to grab the cookies she'd made earlier that day. They were still warm. Anna took the tray and began to set up the kitchen table for the three of them to sit at. Sierra began preparing tea for L, and set the sugar jar on the table for him. By the time the water was on the stove to boil, L was out and in his comfy clothes. "Uh, where's Sam?" asked Sierra.

"She's in the SPK," L replied, taking a sugar cookie as he crouched on one of the chairs. Anna and Sierra soon sat as well.

"But aren't you, too?" asked Anna.

"Why would you think that?" L replied.

"Oh, um…."

"You knew we were there, didn't you?"

"…Yeah."

"Don't tell him, Anna!" Sierra cried. "You could get Sam in trouble…."

"No, it's quite alright," L replied. "It's too late to change anything now anyway. Speaking of Samantha… she wants to talk to you."

"Really?" asked Anna.

"So do we call her?" asked Sierra.

"No," said L. "That may complicate things. She'd like to speak through me."

"Speak _through _you?" asked Anna.

"Yes. I can hear her, even from here. I can relay what she'd like to say."

"…That may be creepy," commented Sierra.

"Please don't expect me to add much inflection," L added.

"Oh, yeah, this might be weird," Anna agreed.

"Yes," L agreed. "She wanted to say to Sierra that 'I'm done with Mello, I've changed.'"

"Really?" Sierra asked excitedly.

"'Yes. It's weird having L speak for me, so I think I'll stop now.'" L looked back to them from the ceiling.

"Well," said Sierra, "that's awesome."

"I'm not even completely sure what she means," L commented.

"Yeah… you don't really _need _to know," Sierra replied.

"Alright then."

"Hey, wait, why are you here, anyway?" asked Anna. "Not just to let Sam talk to Sierra, right? …And can you tell Sam I say hi?"

"Sure, and I'm just here to keep track of you two."

Sierra blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Make sure you don't do anything stupid."

Anna and Sierra looked at one another.

"…Oh," they said together.

* * *

**So... now you know Sam's past. Pasts actually play a huge part in this story, and I've got a past story for everyone. There's one planned for L, for Mello, even one for Matt. It really is fun to come up with the pasts of these characters, I must say.**

**...But it'll be awhile before any of their pasts are told.**

**And the plan has been created and explained! Well, most of it, anyway. Yay~**

_**Fun fact**_**: Okay, so, last chapter, I/Natalie _coincidentally _ended up on the plane where Soichiro would be redirected to. Right? Well, I actually didn't intend for that to happen. I just put Natalie/myself with Aizawa because of the fact he's plainly _Aizawa _and doesn't like me/her very much. Ha. It worked out well, though.**

**Review? For L's intellect and amazing amazing-ness!**


	22. Chapter 22

**...Hey.**

* * *

"Psst," I hissed. "_Ryuk._ Are you awake?"

There was no response. It was one o'clock in the morning, and Misa had gone to sleep half an hour before. I had to stay up later, though, because I needed to make that deal with Ryuk. The team had done two all-nighters before we actually went into our rooms, so now was the first chance I got.

"_Are you up, Ryuk?_" I repeated.

There was silence. Then there was a grumble of, "Well, now I am…."

I sighed in relief. I didn't want to be too loud, that might wake up Misa. And that would be bad. Well, since it was Misa, I suppose I could have convinced her I was having insomnia, and so talked to Ryuk to pass the time. Still, she might tell Light about it, and he'd be very suspicious. And that would be bad.

"Please speak quietly," I whispered. "Can you do that for me?"

"Sure," he said in a low voice. "Why? Don't wanna wake up Misa?"

"Exactly."

"Ooh, this'll be interesting. What you wanna talk to me for?"

"I want to make a deal, Ryuk."

"A deal?" he asked. "What sort of deal? The eye deal?"

"Um, no, not the eye deal."

"Good, 'cause I don't think I can do that unless you gain ownership of the Note."

"Yeah…," I agreed. "Ryuk, I'd like a favor; just a single favor. This favor I'll tell you about once the time comes. Once I come up with it, I guess."

"Now why would I do you a favor?"

"Would you do it for fifty apples?" Yeah, I'd gone a little overboard on buying the apples, but at least it ensured his cooperation. Right?

He let out a little yelp. "F-fifty apples?"

_It's times like these where he seems nothing like a shinigami…, _I thought. "Yes, Ryuk, fifty apples. They're in my bag over there."

He immediately made his way to the bag, pulling out an apple and gobbling it down. "Mmm, so juicy!" He continued eating; I winced at every crunch. Couldn't he eat a little quieter?

"So will you do it?" I asked.

"Huh?" he asked, mouth full of apple. He swallowed. "Oh, yeah, sure."

I sighed. I was relieved. "Thanks, Ryuk. Enjoy your apples."

"I will!"

I fell asleep that night to the sound of the crunching of the delicious red fruits.

* * *

"Wh-What?" asked Aizawa. "What happened?" We were all staring at the screen, where the special forces squad was being wiped out before our eyes in their attack on Mello's base.

"Anyway," said Matsuda, "it's obvious the criminals are hiding in there. Is there anything we can do?"

"We can only use general policemen now…," replied Aizawa.

"Why don't we make contact with the SPK?" asked Ide. "They'll…."

"It's a shinigami," I said flatly.

Everyone but Light looked at me in surprise.

"Yes," agreed Light. "Also, I can't help but think Mello is now able to kill just by seeing faces."

"Th-then… Rem has come back…," murmured Matsuda.

"No," Light disagreed. "Not Rem."

"We'd be able to see her, right?" I pointed out. "We see nothing but flying helmets and dying people."

I could feel Light's temper rising quickly in frustration.

_Eh, calm down…, _I thought._ One loss doesn't mean you can't still obtain victory in the war. Besides, getting frustrated isn't going to help. Just step back and rethink things. Make new calculations…. Yell at Ryuk, not the team, okay?_

A prickle of irritation. _You're right, of course…, _he thought.

"But if we leave this as it is, we'll fail…," said Aizawa.

_Don't snap._

Light shot me a quick glare before turning to Aizawa and saying irritably, "The shinigami was an unknown factor. The plan would have worked otherwise." He got to his feet. "Now, please, I'd like some time to think alone."

The next day, Light explained the plan to Misa, Ryuk and I. It was interesting, actually – something not necessarily shown in the manga. "Listen closely," Light said to the three of us. "We must not fail."

"Yeah," Misa agreed.

"Ryuk, Natsumi, you too."

"Yeah," Ryuk agreed.

"Wait," I said, "am I a part of the plan?"

"No," Light replied. "However, it was you who requested to hear my plans to assure everything went as planned."

"Oh, yeah," I agreed. So Light was keeping his half of the deal after all. That was nice.

The day after this, my mind was set on trying to find the good values Light still had. I mean, he was supposedly corrupted through and through at this point, but I felt sure there had to be something left. I was well aware he was nothing but a vestige of who he used to be, but there had to be traces. Besides, I was curious. _Light, _I thought, _would you _really _kill your own little sister? Or your father?_

_Natalie, we've been over this. I'd only kill a family member if it were absolutely necessary._

I tried looking into his emotions. I felt a prickle of irritation at my random question. He was stressed. Stressed and on edge. But to look deeper into it… see how he'd feel if he were to actually consider it; actually carry out the murder? How could I do that? Could I even do it in the first place? I tried, though. And although one might think that things would get clearer as I went deeper, it actually got more and more vague. But maybe that was just because I couldn't really reach it yet.

_Would you really? _I wondered.

_Only if I had to._

And then, success. _I've found it! _Uncertainty. An aversion to that outcome at all costs. I made my way out of his conscious. _He _wouldn't _kill one of his family members, _I thought with a smile. _He does care. He really _does _still care about his family. Knowing that makes me feel very happy…._

The day after, Kira – aka Misa – contacted Soichiro by phone (which all of us heard because of the connected phones thing). Soon Soichiro came back in from Japan and, three days after Kira's phone call, Ryuk came to the American hotel room that was headquarters to give the team the Death Note. Matsuda, of course, asked for the shinigami eyes, but Soichiro refused and asked for them instead…. To be honest, I knew Light would be surprised at that, but I didn't know I'd feel his fear for his father. More proof he wasn't all gone. And then, there was even a vague sense of ruefulness in his eyes when he told his father it was the right choice. Why I didn't notice this sort of thing before is beyond me. Maybe they just didn't show it in the anime or manga. It helped that I could sense his emotions, too. Still, it was pushed away and forgotten quickly anyway….

"So, wait, will I be joining in the raid?" I asked a week after Ryuk appeared to the task force.

"Yes," Light replied.

"You'll be barging in with the rest of us!" Matsuda said excitedly. "We got permission! And we'll take down the bad guys together; it'll be great!"

"Yeah!" I agreed enthusiastically, bringing my arm around his shoulders. "And we'll be macho, macho men!" We laughed. "Oh! Macho Matsuda!" I laughed harder.

"Will you two shut the hell up?" Aizawa snapped.

We both stopped laughing and straightened up.

"This isn't a joking matter; it's a dangerous mission that's to be taken seriously!" he reprimanded.

"Uh… yeah… sorry Aizawa…," Matsuda said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

I, on the other hand, grinned. "Don't worry, Mr. Aizawa, I knew that. I just like acting like this 'cause I know it annoys you."

Aizawa scowled and fumed silently.

"Well," said Light calmly, "don't act like that during the raid. That could cost us the success of this mission."

"Don't worry, Light-o, I know!" I chirped.

"…Light-o?" asked Soichiro.

"Oh," I said, "did I say that? Wow."

Matsuda laughed. "Where'd you get that one?"

"Long story," I replied, unable to think of a way to explain the difference in languages when I didn't know how to switch the language I was speaking anyway. "Kinda like how Mello's nickname is a long story…."

"That new criminal bastard has a nickname?" asked Ide.

"Does it have to do with chocolate?" asked Matsuda. "'Cause he sure likes chocolate…."

"No kidding," I agreed. "But no, it's actually just 'Watermello.'"

Aizawa frowned. "…_Why?_"

"Again; it's a long story. An even longer story, actually. His real nickname is Marsh-mello. That, or Melly Moo Moo, but that one was just thought up when I was half asleep, so…."

"You think up nicknames while you're going to sleep?" asked Ide.

"No," I replied. "I just happened to be thinking of him; him and this 'Near' or whatever…. So yeah…."

"What's Near's nickname?' asked Matsuda.

"Uh… he doesn't have one."

"…Oh."

"Why are we talking about stupid nicknames when we're supposed to be planning our raid?" yelled Aizawa.

"Yes, Mr. Aizawa," I agreed. "Let's discuss our plan, then."

* * *

I was crouching on the ground between Soichiro and Matsuda. Matsuda, for once, was very serious, and so was I. The mission required it. We were all in assault jackets and wearing those anti-Kira masks. Soichiro had just gotten the shinigami eyes moments before. "It's 23:59!" came Light's voice in my ear.

"I can't see the names or the lifespans!" exclaimed Soichiro. "Let's make the raid!"

Matsuda, Soichiro, and I jumped up, ran forward, and burst into the entrance. We traveled up metal stairs, and down a few corridors in search of Mello and his men. The most annoying part was probably the way I had to hold the gun upright at all times. _Hey, _I realized as we made our way down a hall, _I just realized something: I'll be able to see Mello!_

_Yes, now pay attention._

_Oh, right._

When we reached another door, we backed up against the wall. "Are you ready Matsuda; Natsumi?" asked Soichiro.

"Yeah," Matsuda and I answered.

"Natsumi, you can stay back," said Soichiro.

I frowned, swallowed, and nodded. I didn't really want to shoot anyone anyway…. They both jumped out and fired. There was firing back, and Matsuda went to the other side of the door while Soichiro drew back next to me. I gulped. _There are two guys, _I thought, trying to re-piece everything together in my head. _Two guys in the mafia…._

"We're in assault jackets," said Matsuda in a low voice. "Should we run in?"

_Now… Mello went up the stairs, and one of the mafia guys is trying to get the Death Note to keep it from being stolen…. I think…. It's hard to think with all these bullets coming out that door…._

"Matsuda," said Soichiro.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Natsumi," said Soichiro, "put on your gasmask."

"Got it," I answered, putting it on just as Matsuda threw a tear gas bomb into the room.

"Oops," came a voice from in the room, "shit!" There was coughing.

I'm not completely sure what happened after that, actually.

_Not to interrupt, _thought Light as we charged through the door, _but I can hear all of your summarizing of what's happening._

_Oh. Um…. _I tried making a shot with the gun.

_Aim a little lower._

_You shut up._

_Sorry, I was just trying to help._

_Meh. Um… well, about the summarizing what's going on thing… ignore that, 'kay? Actually… I guess you can hear it—oh God! _One of the guys had tried to punch me in the face. He missed due to the tear gas, obviously, and then Soichiro and Matsuda suddenly had their guns against each of the mafia guys' backs. _Um… so yeah._

_Well, we have the notebook back… now for Mello…._

_Yep. Mello. Marshmello. Watermello. Melly Moo Moo. Melly-o's: an important part of a nutritious breakfast!_

_You're rambling._

_Yeah, I do that in my thoughts._

_I know. I've heard it._

_Yeah…._

Meanwhile, the search for Mello had begun.

* * *

"I wonder what Aunt Natalie's doing right about now…," Anna commented.

L looked at the clock and set down his jelly donut, the jelly slowly oozing onto his plate. "It's a bit after midnight where she is. I'd say they're storming the mafia base."

"It's midnight there?" asked Anna. "It's like…" – she glanced at the clock – "…three pm here."

"Mafia?" asked Sierra. "As in Mello in the mafia?"

"Yes," L confirmed, picking up his donut and licking the jelly so it wouldn't leak out onto his hands. "Natsumi will most likely be meeting Mello within the next few hours."

"Aw!" Sierra whined. "I wanted to meet him!"

"Maybe you will," L replied. "Eventually."

"Say," said Anna, "is that _strawberry _jelly?"

"Yes," L replied, looking at her. "Why?"

"BB!" she yelped.

"That's strawberry _jam_," Sierra frowned.

"Well, _sorry _for never reading the book. You never let me!"

"I want to meet Matsuda," Sierra commented.

"Where did _that _come from?" asked Anna.

"Hey L?" asked Sierra.

"Don't ignore me!"

"Yes?" asked L. Ignoring Anna.

"Meh!" Anna cried.

"L, could you please, please, please, please, _please_ try to figure out who's mind I'm gonna be synced with?" Sierra asked, folding her hands together.

"No," L responded dully.

"Why _not_?" Sierra cried, and got on her knees. "_Please, _L?"

"No," L repeated, looking down at her with a vaguely annoyed expression. "You will find who you're with soon enough."

"Mehhh!" Sierra whined.

"Has it ever occurred to you that you may be at an advantage, not having someone tuned in to your every thought?"

"Um, no…."

He brought his cup of sugary tea to his mouth. "Keep in mind, Yui, that once you make contact with the person, the ties become stronger as time goes on. The longer the expanse of time, the more connected you are. After the first few developments are made, it doesn't matter how far apart you are. It keeps progressing; there's no stopping it. And don't think you can _choose _your partner, either."

"You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit," Sierra agreed softly.

"Precisely."

"Sierra," said Anna, "_please_ stop complaining about not knowing who you'll be with."

"You complain just as much as I do!" Sierra interjected.

"Yeah, well, I'm in the same situation as you are!"

"Hypocrite…."

"What was that?"

"Hypocrite, Anna. You're being hypocritical."

"Well, I don't care!"

"You should!"

"Well, too bad!"

"Will you two please be quiet?" asked L in a dull, annoyed tone.

"Sorry," they said hastily, in unison.

* * *

I stood by good old Matsuda, between him and Soichiro, when there was a big explosion that one, scared the crap out of me; and two, caused Matsuda and I to tumble over. _…I have a Matsuda on top of me._ I felt the surprise of Light. _Shock isn't helping. There is a Matsu on top of me, and I cannot get the Matsu off!_

"W-what happened?" came Light's voice in everyone's ears. "Are you alright?"

"Matsuda," asked Soichiro, "are you all okay?"

"I'm afraid not," he said in a small voice.

"Being able to say that, you seem okay. What about… Natsumi?"

"I'm under the Matsu," I called, "and I am okay!"

"Sorry, Natsumi," Matsuda said faintly as he was helped up.

"You know, I'd say you're cuddly, but it's hard to tell with these police thingies on."

He gave a weak laugh in response.

"I've exploded the two doorways," came Mello's voice.

_Mello! _I thought. Then, _Okay, actually, I never liked him very much…. Eh, he is pretty epic, actually…. It really depends on my mood…. Whatever._

"You can't get out easily," Mello continued. "This time was just a threat, but next time I'll blow up the whole hideout."

_B-but you hurt Matsu! Threat…? _Meh!

"I'm watching your actions through monitoring cameras. If you don't want to be blown up, follow my directions."

_Blown up? _thought Light. _What the hell is he thinking?_

_He's probably thinking something along the lines of, 'So I'm the last one. No choice now. Time to blow shit up.' Whoa, oops, didn't mean to swear there. It's harder with thought, I guess…. Sorry. Fits his personality, though…._

I was soon smashing my camera with my foot and throwing my gun down the stairs. _Ugh, _I thought, _much better. That thing was heavy…. Handguns are so much easier. From what I know._

Then I was backing up. _Too bad I won't be able to see what's going on…. _Soichiro was taking off his helmet. He was walking in the door…. I straightened up. _C'mon… I wanna see Mello! Mehhh…. I wanna _see!

_I won…._

_Now, now, Light, don't get ahead of yourself._ A pause. _Okay, screw it, if I can't see him, I'm gonna ruin the moment and yell out. _"Hey, Mello! Hi! I can't see you, but hi!"

There was silence.

"Just remember me later on; I'm the only girl, 'kay? Just wanted to say hi—Ow! Aizawa, don't hit me!"

"Just shut up! Besides, I didn't hit you!"

"Meh!"

"…Ignoring her," said Mello, "bring the notebook and your helmet here. Then you will be a captive again." From there, I could no longer hear what was going on, unfortunately. I tried playing out everything word for word in my head, but it wasn't working.

_Okay, so, um... Soichiro's gonna ask him to give up right about now... I think... _I gave a small sigh. _You know, he's not the type to give up, Soichiro. Haven't you learned that? Now... it's hard to keep track of time when I don't have precise lines... Of course, I can still hear Light on the earpiece, but he only says a sentence or two here and there._

W-what? Light thought. Frustration. _Don't be an idiot. Write down his name and kill him!_

Well, I could obviously hear his _thoughts_, which were more frequent than his actual words.

_You really think your father is the type to do such a thing? _I thought back.

Frustration _and _irritation. And ignoring me. _Damn it, just _kill him!

As Soichiro's speech that I couldn't hear or remember correctly went on, Light's frustration and anger grew. Because it was a strong emotion, I felt it quite clearly, unlike the usual hazy notions of, say, annoyance. I soon found myself taking deep breaths to help calm myself. _I'd like to see the day Light is affected by _my _emotions, _I thought distractedly, eyes shut. _Then I won't be the only one stuck like this._

All the while, Light's thoughts were ringing in my ears. _Kill him! Kill him now! _He didn't bother hiding them. Why should he? And to be honest, I didn't quite know how to completely shut it out. I had discovered how to make my own thoughts at least a little guarded…. I didn't even know it was possible. I guess it's something you can only learn if you know what it's like for your mind to be probed in the first place. Maybe that, in a way, woke up a new part of the brain. However, I had yet to figure out how to tune out thoughts that were exclaimed along with strong emotions. I knew how to tune out from the normal, general thoughts, but even then there was that constant chattering in the back of my mind….

I jumped at the sound of gunshots. _Not fired by Mello,_ I reminded myself. _It was fired by… that one guy who was pretending to be dead…. I think his name was… okay, I don't know._

_Guns?_" asked Light. I'm pretty sure he both said it and thought it, though it was almost hard to tell.

"Damn it!" Aizawa exclaimed.

"_Everyone, go in!_" Light commanded.

I followed everyone else's lead and pulled out a handgun from my side holster as we all ran forward to break through the door with gunshots. We broke through just as the guy I didn't know the name of was about to shoot Soichiro in the head. Both Mello and… the other dude wheeled around. "Shit," said the mafia guy. He was soon shot down. I was kinda glad, too. I couldn't help but feel bad for Soichiro now...

_Well, at least I can see Mello, _I thought, trying to look on the bright side despite Light's growing aggravation. _…Even if he has a gasmask on…. Hey, wait…._

There was a click as Mello pressed the button.

_Crap._

The explosion roared in my ears, and I'm not too sure _how _it happened, but I somehow ended up lying on my back among the debris. It's one of those moments where it all happens so quickly you can't really recall the exact event. _What just happened…? Ow…._

"Vice-Director! Aizawa! Mogi! Ide! Natsumi! Matsuda! Do you read me? Vice-director! _Everyone!_" Light said urgently.

_Oh, hey, _I thought. _He cares about his dad._ I'm pretty sure I'd gotten the wind knocked out of me, and that I'd be sore for a while, but I was fine, really. _Hey… where _am _I? Oh, there's Ide._ _And Matsuda's right next to me, I think…._

"Matsuda! Natsumi!" cried Ide. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good!" I said.

"No. I'm afraid not," was Matsuda's response.

"But you look okay," Ide replied.

I sighed. _Good, at least the raid is over…._

* * *

**...So... Mello's even more in. Hooray? I look forward to the part where he actually _comes in _and interacts more. Oh well. We'll get there.**

_**Fun fact**_**: I only realized recently that I actually _wouldn't _be able to hear Mello and Soichiro in their little conversation scene. Aha... nice. But I edited it now, as you can see~**

**Review? For... Mello!**


	23. Chapter 23

"L, did you really meet Mello face to face?"

"No."

"Oh…. Did you know BB had the Shinigami eyes?"

"What? No."

"L, were you really-?"

"Please stop asking me about things relating to Beyond Birthday, Yui."

"Oh… okay…. Did you read the whole manga?"

L sighed. "Yes. The only thing Natsumi didn't allow me to read was the _How to Read 13 _volume."

"Why not?"

"I don't know," he responded irritably.

"L, why won't you tell us about your past?"

"Yui, you're annoying me."

"Yeah," agreed Anna. "Shut up, Sierra."

"Meh!"

* * *

"Dad! _Dad!_ Dad, _please_. Don't die!"

_Hmm… the last time I was in a hospital was when my Grandma was dying…. Now Light's father is dying…. I apparently don't have very good experiences with hospitals. Then there was the time when my mom had a severe allergic reaction…. And another when I had an asthma attack, but I was… three at the time, so I barely remember that. Huh…._

"Light, you aren't Kira… how excellent," Soichiro murmured.

_Well, at least he dies happy… even though that's a lie…. Poor man._

"I'll leave everything to you, Light…."

_I guess it's better he dies now, _I thought. _If he lived on, he'd have to learn Light's Kira… and that'd be just horrible._

"_Dad!_"

There was a very long beeping noise. _Oh… he's gone…._

"I'm sorry," said the doctor, "but…."

_Thinking about it now, _I thought, _it's like one of those dramatic hospital shows…._

"Dad!" Light cried, tears streaming down his face. "_Dad! _Don't die, you fool!"

"_Light,_" said Matsuda firmly, holding him back.

I took a step forward, concerned. _I wonder, is this an act?_

There was a while where Light just knelt there on the floor, face on the hospital bed, arms wrapped around his head. There was complete silence. _If you think, _thought Light, _that I don't care, Natsumi, then you are greatly mistaken._

I closed my eyes. He was speaking the truth. _I'm sorry._

There was another long gap of silence. _You… you knew he was going to…._

_Yes. I knew this would happen, _I admitted.

_You knew my father would _die_, but you did nothing. You were right there when the mafia bastard shot him, you were nearby when Mello blew up the hideout, you could have _intervened_ when he asked for the shinigami eyes._

_You're wrong, _I thought. _There was nothing I could do. His lifespan was up, and you yourself could have stopped him, too._

I only received utter silence as a response.

* * *

"…Kira is the second L," said Near.

_Finally!_ thought Sam. _My god, you talk way too much…. 'I won't skip'? Meh!_

_Has Near figured out the second L is Kira? _asked L.

_Yup, _replied Sam with a sigh.

_Good. Right on time._

_L, when will I be able to do something interesting?_

_Do you consider being attacked by thousands of Kira supporters interesting?_

_Uh… sure…._

_Then soon enough._

_Okay then…._

Later on, they were watching the vice president – now the president – on the big screens. Well, on a whole bunch of little screens put together. _I don't want to listen to a speech by the president, _Sam thought, annoyed. The vice president/president announced, then, that America would acknowledge Kira and not go against him. _Wow, _Sam thought. _That sucks. _Much to Sam's relief, the announcement was relatively short. She would have stopped paying attention once her attention span ran out anyway, though.

"So what happens to us?" asked Halle.

_Oh… hey… Near is standing!_

"We will be removed," Near said irritably, twirling his hair. "All because of that chicken-shit president…. No, far from chicken-shit; less than chicken-shit president."

Sam fought to not sputter with laughter. _Wow, Near._

"Samantha," said Near, glaring at her, "what's so funny?"

"Oh, um, just the way you put that."

"Well, it's true," he muttered, turning away. "He's not even worthy of being called a chicken-shit."

"Yeah, I completely agree."

There was a long pause.

"I want a hug," Sam mumbled. "Gevanni, can I have a hug?"

Another long pause.

"…What?" asked Gevanni confusedly.

"Can I have a hug?" she repeated. "You look cuddly."

"Now is hardly the time…."

"Fine. Near, can—"

"No."

"Meh."

* * *

"Um…," said Matsuda hesitantly. The new US president had just announced that the US wouldn't go against Kira. "Natsumi, Aizawa, Mogi, Ide, and Light… is it okay if speak seriously?"

I laughed. "You don't need to ask permission, Matsuda!"

"What is this change?" asked Ide.

"Matsuda, aren't you always not serious?" asked Aizawa.

I frowned. "He's capable of being serious, Aizawa. Don't underestimate him!"

"Whatever," muttered Aizawa.

"Thanks, Natsumi," Matsuda mumbled. "But guys, do you really think from the bottom of your hearts that Kira is evil?"

A pause.

"What are you talking about, Matsuda?!" barked Aizawa.

At first Matsuda didn't know how to respond. I gazed at him sympathetically. "Speaking honestly…" he said, "I don't think he's completely evil."

"Why you-?" asked Mogi. "You think Kira is righteous?"

"…I don't know," replied Matsuda. "Evil? Righteous? But I know I want to catch him. To my very end…. But I thought we were fighting Kira because he was evil. This time, yes, in order to get the Note back we said he was righteous, so he would lend us his power… and the result was we got the Note back…. We all believed in Kira, that's why we were able to do it…. Th-that's according to the weak," he added. "According to the seriously alive people, there certainly is a proper way of living in this world."

"You're wrong, Matsuda," Aizawa said sternly. "Even if public, peace, and order get better, a massacre causes fear. And from that kind of killing and terror, there would be no real history of peace."

"I know!" Matsuda responded, head bowed, clenching his teeth, curling his hands into fists. Trembling. "I know that! I know Kira is a mass murderer. But I can understand the people's feelings of thinking Kira is the messiah, too. I've always been in a weak position and as a weak person, that's why I understand."

I smiled. "No," I said. "Matsuda, it's not because you're weak."

He looked up confusedly. Aizawa, Ide, and Light turned to me.

"You have an amazing ability, Matsuda. You have an open mind, and therefore can understand the thoughts others may have, even if they differ from your own ideologies. You can see the situations others may be in, see things from every point of view. You don't see in black and white, you see the grey areas of our society. I don't really know who is right, either. To be honest, if I wasn't here today; if I hadn't decided to look into things to solve this case, who knows whose side I'd be on? Kira's? L's? Neither? Matsuda, I wouldn't worry. I know exactly what you mean. Kira thinks he's creating a better world. We believe he's just murdering people. Still, Kira does have a sense of justice to him despite all that. My guess is Kira had good intentions, at least originally. Honestly, what would any of us do if we found we had the power to kill?" There wasn't any response, though I waited a moment for an answer. "And none of us know," I smiled. "It's hard to tell who's good or evil here. Really… it all depends."

"Actually, I can see it too," said Light, looking away from the group and out the window to look on the city.

"Light?!" gasped Aizawa. "Coming from _Light?_ What are you saying?!"

"Presently, according to unregistered internet polls, there are many results turning out in the favor of Kira, many times, are there not? In that meaning, I was saying I don't think Matsuda is completely off. Kira being a mass murderer… evil. That's a fact. There is overwhelming support for Kira. That's also a fact… but I'm sure Kira knows that."

I sighed and relaxed, listening intently to his little speech.

"The idea of your action being evil and sacrificing yourself in order to change the world…. That is Kira's chosen path of being righteous…. I think that would be Kira's way of thinking…. Kira being evil or righteous is not our place to judge. It's better to leave that up to society and ideology."

Ryuk began to chuckle.

"We only have to catch Kira. It has no correlation to cleansing the world if we catch Kira. Righteousness…. Evil…. We should think of the consequences of everything." He looked back at all of us. "If we catch Kira, then he's evil. If Kira rules the world, then he's righteous."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," I chuckled.

"So the winner is right?" asked Aizawa. "…But… yeah… I guess…. No, you're right, the world has always been like that…."

"I-I'm sorry," said Matsuda. "I said something stupid so, um, 'Let's all catch Kira. That's the righteous thing!'"

"…Yeah!" said Aizawa, looking vaguely confused.

I laughed. "Or we could just do that."

* * *

"Oh my god," sighed Sam, staring at the screens. "What the hell, Mello?"

"Well, he seems to be the type of guy who would do that," commented Gevanni. Mello, if you don't know, was walking towards the room everyone was in, with a gun to Halle's head. If you pictured him dancing like an idiot, then all I have to say is… actually, I'd laugh. No doubt you're imagining it now, though. If not, then imagine it; trust me, it's amusing, if not disturbing.

Anyway, back to the topic.

"Let him in," said Near.

"I want to pet that jacket," Sam mumbled as Mello walked in with Halle. Rester and Gevanni had their guns pointed at him. _Oh, hey, he has the scar on his face now. He already blew up that one place._

"Welcome, Mello," said Near without turning around.

"Near," Sam whispered, "am I allowed to say hi to him?"

"I don't see why not," he muttered in response.

"Hi Mello!" Sam said happily. "I just wanna say one thing: you're a watermello!"

Mello glared at her pointedly.

"Meh…."

* * *

"Samantha just met Mello," L commented.

"Wha-?!" yelped Sierra. "No fair! Mehhh!"

"Sierra," said Anna irritably, "you're annoying."

"Quite frankly," said L, "I agree."

"Meh!"

* * *

"Samantha," said Near, "you once had contact with the Japanese police, correct?"

"Um, yeah…," Sam responded.

"You knew someone who worked on the Kira investigation team?"

"Yeah…."

"Were you told that the current L was dead?"

"Yeah, by my… dad. He figured it out."

Near scrutinized Sam for a moment, then turned back around to play with his little toy airplane. "Then did you learn who the second L was, Samantha?"

"Uh…." _L? _she thought. No response. _L? Oh god, am I supposed to know Light is the second L?_

_No. You don't know._

_Okay…. Thanks…. _"No, I have no idea. Sorry."

"That's quite alright," Near replied.

Halle's cell phone began beeping, and she picked it up. "Near, it's Mello," she said, handing him the phone.

Soon Mogi came up on the monitor screens. "Samantha," said Near, "is that the man named Mogi?"

Sam squinted at the screen. "Yep. That's him."

"Let Mogi in, then," said Near.

When Mogi came in, Sam pursed her lips and shifted herself to hide behind Gevanni. _Does he remember me?_ Gevanni gave her an odd look.

Mogi looked at her confusedly, but Near began speaking before he could ask.

* * *

_So this is what L meant when he said we were going to be attacked by Kira-worshippers, _Sam thought dully. _That's great…._ The fun part was getting into futuristic-looking police suits. "Hey, Near… you want me to carry any of your toys?" asked Sam.

"No," he replied. "I have them. Let's go."

And away to a new headquarters they went.

* * *

Aizawa soon decided to give Near the information, and went with Gevanni to the new headquarters. "Aizawa," said Mogi.

"Mogi!" said Aizawa.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Aizawa," greeted Near. "I'm Near."

"I can't say 'Nice to meet you, too,' with my blindfold on," Aizawa replied.

_He has a point…, _thought Sam. _Meh…. I'm bored. _Sam sighed. _Okay… there really isn't anything to be excited about. All I'm doing is 'keeping an eye on the SPK.' Stupid L…. Hm… I can at least look forward to when people find out L is still alive. It's too bad I couldn't see Light's reaction. Meh…. It sucks that we can't save Matt. I wish I could at least meet him. To be honest, I wanted to be his bestest buddy…._

"Sayuri?" asked Aizawa upon noticing Sam in the room.

Sam gulped. "Um, hi… er, Aizawa."

Near's face had lit up.

_That smile still creeps the hell out of me._

"You know each other?" Near asked.

"Yeah," said Aizawa. "Aren't you Natsumi's friend?" he asked Sam.

"Yeah…."

"You're working for the SPK?"

"Yep."

"Is that why you ran away?"

"Not really…."

"Natsumi's friend…. Natsumi Matsuo?" Near asked.

"Yeah," confirmed Aizawa. "Why?"

"I just sometimes wonder why there are no records of her being in the Kira investigation team. Actually, there are no records of her at all."

"Yeah, the original L took her in on his own judgment," Aizawa explained.

"I see," replied Near, eyeing Sam.

She blinked. _This is weird._ Sam tuned out to the rest of the conversation. She didn't want to hear it. She'd heard enough of Near's talking. She was sick of it. I mean, it wasn't even an annoying voice, but Sam just didn't want to hear the thorough explaining of things she already understood anymore. It was stupid, in her opinion. So, instead, she daydreamed about going back to Japan to be able to see me and my nieces again. And L would be there too, she guessed. But L was awesome, so she wouldn't mind. With luck, she'd be able to watch Light die pathetically. _I haven't seen the pathetic, drowning-in-his-own-blood death yet. No one has seen it in action, actually. How fun!_

"All is settled, then. Light Yagami is Kira."

_Whoa, what'd I miss? …And Mogi and the Afro Samurai are gone…. I am so confused…._

"Now all we need to do is prove it…," said Rester.

"And what about that Natsumi girl?" asked Halle. "What's the deal with her? You looked so excited."

"Well," said Rester, "she was brought in by the original L, and so was Light Yagami…. Do you think…?"

"No," Near replied. "But it's possible."

"Do you mean that she's-?" asked Halle, but Near cut her off.

"No, not the Second Kira. I've already clarified that that was Misa Amane."

"What's going on?" asked Sam. "I'm so confused…."

"Did you have any other friends with you?" asked Near.

"Uh… yeah…. Two others."

"Were they Kira supporters?"

"What?" asked Sam. "No!"

"Just wondering."

"Um… alright." Sam swallowed. _Does he think we know who Kira is?_

_No, _replied L, _that can't be it. It's a possibility, but I think Near is just suspicious of Natsumi._

_Oh… that's great…._

_Not of knowing who Kira is, Samantha._

_Oh, hey, that _is _great!_

_Actually, he probably doesn't care very much about Natsumi._

_Oh… is that good?_

_Yes._

_Then good!_

…_Yes._

* * *

**...I feel so bad that I had to kill off Soichiro... But... I can't really change lifespans... He was such a kindhearted man.**

_**Fun fact**_**: You know how in the last chapter, Natalie/I found little things that made Light human? Like the almost-regret in his eyes right before he told Soichiro that getting the shinigami eyes was the right choice? The whole reason I put that part in there was because I really did notice that emotion there for the first time as I re-read the manga in order to create this story.**

**Review? For Soichiro?**


	24. Chapter 24

"Oh my god!" I yelped, staring at the screen, then squealed happily.

"Uh, what is it?" asked Matsuda.

"Mikami!" I cried in delight. "Mikami! Look, it's Mikami!"

"Well, yeah…."

"What's so special about him?" asked Ide.

"Are you kidding?" I asked. "It's _Mikami!_ Just look at him!" I gestured exaggeratedly at the screen. "He _emanates _awesomeness!"

"But he's a Kira supporter!" Aizawa snapped.

"Oh, right," I said.

_Natalie, don't say stupid things._

'_Stupid things?'_

_You're spouting things you probably shouldn't know about._

_Fine then, _I sniffed. "I just thought he was awesome 'cause of his hair." _Better?_

All I heard was complete silence from his mind.

…_Nice answer…._

"His _hair?_" asked Aizawa. "You can't judge a person with _hair!_"

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry. For the record, though, I liked you better with an afro."

He ground his teeth, growling irately.

"I apologize, Aizawa, but I happen to have an abnormal liking to hair. …And because of that, I have the amazing ability of being able to judge the texture of a person's hair by just looking at it… even if they're anime characters. But anyway, for example, I personally think Light's hair is epic." I looked at it a moment. "Actually, now that I think about it, it _is _kinda plain…."

"We are _not _here to be discussing _hair,_" Aizawa said through clenched teeth.

I smiled. "I really annoy you, don't I?"

"_Yes._"

"Even more so than Matsuda?"

Matsuda laughed sheepishly. "Aha, that's gotta be a tough one…"

"Well, you do both act like idiots," commented Ide.

"It's one of my quirks!" I stated proudly.

"But… I don't realize it…," said Matsuda with a weak smile.

I shrugged. "Eh, we still love you anyway. You just can't be hated."

"Thanks, Natsumi," Matsuda smiled, looking reassured.

"Well, except for Aizawa. He doesn't like you very much. And the first L didn't really like you either…."

"Yeah… thanks a lot, Natsumi…."

I grinned. "Don't worry. I'm sure that, deep down, Aizawa does care about you."

"Right…."

* * *

"L, you have something planned, don't you?" asked Anna.

"Yes."

"So you _do _have a plan?" asked Sierra.

"Obviously he does," Anna frowned. "He's _L_. Duh!"

"Matsu-_duh_!" Sierra said, then laughed. "Oh… poor Matsuda…. Sorry, Matsu!" she cried to the ceiling.

"He can't hear you," Anna pointed out, crossing her arms.

"So?"

"So… yeah."

"Oh, right," said Sierra. "Leonard, why won't you tell us the plan?"

"Because the plan requires it," L responded.

"Meh!"

"Where did you stay when you were in America?" Anna asked curiously.

"I shared an apartment with Samantha," L replied.

"Did you go to sleep at all?" asked Sierra.

"Yes."

"No, no, I mean _actually_ sleep. Like, go lie down on a bed and sleep."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't think I'm the type to do that."

"Meh…."

"Did Sam ever get Chocolate Drunk?" asked Anna.

"She had chocolate, yes," he responded. "She didn't bother to inform me how it would affect her…."

"Did she get Sleep Drunk?" asked Sierra.

"I don't believe that's the correct term, but yes."

"Did she get to pet your hair?" asked Anna.

"Without permission, but yes."

"Was she Sleep Drunk at the time?" asked Sierra.

"She was very tired, yes."

"Could we maybe pet your hair?" asked Anna.

"I'd rather you not."

"Can you then, perhaps, tell us what happened to you as a kid?" asked Sierra hopefully.

"Could you, perhaps, stop asking me meaningless questions?"

"Meh!"

"Okay," Anna said. "It's just kinda hard to carry on a normal conversation with you."

"You're too… smart," agreed Sierra.

"And you lack emotion," added Anna.

"And you're too analytical."

"And you always lie."

"And you don't really have empathy."

"And you take things too seriously."

L stared at them. "So sorry."

"No, don't be!" said Sierra. "That's what makes you who you are!"

"And trust me, a lot of people like you like that," said Anna with a nod.

"Yeah," Sierra agreed. "There are a _lot_ of L fangirls out there."

"Fan…girls?" repeated L dully.

"Yeah. Kinda like Misa for Light," Anna explained.

"…Oh. I'm not sure that's a good thing."

"Weren't _you_ a fangirl of L, Michiyo?" asked Sierra.

"No I wasn't!" Anna snapped.

"Oh right…. Eh, sorry…."

"_Hayley _was the fangirl of L!" Anna huffed.

"We never _met _Hayley," Sierra pointed out.

"Yeah, but Sam sometimes talked about her, and so did Aunt Natalie."

"Yeah…." Sierra gazed at the window, out to the city it overlooked. "I wonder if we'll ever actually see home again…."

"Speaking of that…" Anna said slowly, "L, was that a dream when we…?"

"No," L responded.

"You what?" asked Sierra. "You didn't _kiss_ or something, did you?"

"_No!_" Anna snapped.

"No," L said, looking at Sierra oddly.

"That's good; just making sure... 'cause that wouldn't be right." She paused. "...So what happened?"

"We almost went to your world," L explained, "but I pulled Anna back somehow. My theory is she couldn't make it back on her own, and without me as an anchor, she may have been stuck in between here and there."

"Jeez," Sierra commented.

"Hey, can't you read my thoughts, too?" Anna asked, looking at L and cocking her head to the side.

"No. That only worked while we were traveling from one place to another."

"Oh…."

"Eh…. When did this happen, anyway?" asked Sierra.

"It was soon after I died," L explained.

Sierra giggled.

"What?"

"Just… the way you said that…."

"I wonder, is it at all possible to hold a normal conversation with you?" asked Anna.

"Didn't we, just now?" L replied.

"No," Sierra replied. "We were talking about traveling through space and time. Serious topics like trying to get home…."

"Yeah," agreed Anna. "I meant a casual conversation."

L looked up. "Hm…."

"Well, we need a topic," Sierra prompted.

L sighed. "'So then, tell me, why do you call Mello 'watermello?''" he asked dully.

"Actually, Sam came up with that one," explained Anna.

"She thinks that when Light bends over, he has a watermelon butt," Sierra explained.

"But one time, she accidentally said 'watermello' instead," said Anna.

"Thus," concluded Sierra, "the nickname Watermello was born!"

"…I shouldn't have asked."

Anna and Sierra laughed in response.

* * *

"Gevanni, you look cuddly," commented Sam.

"Uh… thanks," Gevanni replied.

"Can I have a hug?"

He cocked his head to the side slightly. Probably wondering something along the lines of, 'What the hell?'

"Come on, I don't give hugs to just anyone. I normally don't like hugs! Come on…."

"Uh…."

"You know what, poo it, I'll just hug you anyway," she said, and hugged him.

"Wha-? Hey, no, get off!"

"All I want is a hug, you meanie poop!"

"Samantha, stop trying to hug Gevanni," Near said dully.

"Meh!" Sam responded, and let go. "Party pooper."

"Jeez…," Gevanni mumbled.

"I think she's got a liking to you," Halle remarked.

"No kidding…."

"He's just cuddly!" Sam insisted. "Just look at him. How can you not see that he looks cuddly?"

Halle examined him. "You don't look very cuddly to me, Gevanni," she said.

"Yeah, thanks, Halle…."

"You know who looks _really _cuddly, though?" asked Sam.

"Who?" asked Halle.

"Near!" Sam said, gesturing to said boy. "I mean, he looks like a freakin' _teddy bear! _Don't you just want to hug him?"

There was complete silence in the room. Halle, Gevanni, and Near were all looking at her oddly. (Rester was in Japan at the time.) "Um…" said Gevanni eventually, "...no. I don't."

"You think my smile looks like a rape face, and yet you still want to hug me?" asked Near confusedly.

"Um, well, if you were smiling, I probably wouldn't hug you," Sam conceded. "Though, honestly, I'd probably I would only hug you if I was in a huggy mood…. And that is very rare…. Actually, even then, I only hug things that don't hug back… unless I'm in a _real _huggy mood. Or I'm Sleep Drunk. Or I had chocolate…." There was a pause. "Hey Near, do you have any chocolate lying around? Now I want chocolate."

"That's Mello you're thinking of," Near replied dismissively, turning back around to use his toy robot.

"Meh…. Maybe I should track him down, and steal all his chocolate."

"Knowing him," said Gevanni, "Mello would probably kill you."

"Meh…. Well then, I'd bring you with me. And you would protect me with your awesomeness."

"My awesomeness?" he asked amusedly.

"Yes," Sam confirmed. "Your awesomeness."

"I don't think Gevanni's awesomeness would save you from Mello's wrath when it comes to his chocolate," commented Near, kicking his feet in the air like a child.

Sam tried not to laugh. "The way you said that, Near, I find to be very amusing."

"Good. Glad to have amused you. Now get to work."

"Oh, right…."

* * *

"Does this place have surround-sound speakers?" I asked curiously.

"If we want it to," Light replied.

"Why?" asked Matsuda.

"Am I allowed to plug in my musical player thingy to play a certain sound?"

"'A certain sound?'" Aizawa repeated skeptically.

"Well, yeah. A sound. It isn't even a song. It only lasts a few seconds."

"What _is _it?" asked Ide.

"It's… a laugh…," I replied. "My favorite laugh of all time, actually."

"And what's the point of playing it on the speakers?" asked Aizawa irritably.

"One, I wanna hear it in surround-sound. Two, I love that laugh. Three, I want to know your reactions to it."

Matsuda shrugged. "Plug it in!" he said, heading to the speakers. "Let me just find the plug thing…."

"Why should we? We're supposed to be focusing on more important matters!" said Aizawa.

"Well, don't you think we need a break from that every once in a while?" I asked. "Otherwise, you'd just be very stressed."

"Well, you two aren't helping my stress levels…," he muttered.

"Meh," I replied.

"Here it is!" Matsuda said, handing me the plug.

"Thanks," I answered, pulling out my Walkman. "Oh boy… I've always wanted to see all of your reactions to this…." _Meaning without the whole dramatic-ness of it, and therefore not causing shocked silence._ I plugged in my Walkman, turned it on, and set it to Light's laugh. Luckily, it was just called 'Kira's Laugh' on my walkman, so… yeah. His laugh was soon playing from everywhere at once. Within a few seconds, it was over, so I turned off my Walkman, unplugged it, put it on hold, and put it in my pocket.

"…What the hell was _that?_" asked Aizawa.

"_That _is what Kira's laugh would sound like if we were to meet him."

"That was kinda creepy…," Matsuda commented. "I'd hate to hear it in real life…."

"You have odd taste in favorites, Natsumi," Light remarked.

"I know," I grinned.

"Well, it'd fit Kira, I guess," said Ide. "It sounds a bit insane."

"And demonic," Matsuda added.

"But I love it anyway!" I cried in delight.

"I will never understand you," Aizawa sighed.

* * *

"Hey," I said when I walked into headquarters, "what's the date today?"

"December fifth," Light replied promptly.

"Whoa…," I said. _Today we're going back to Japan. Wow. Awesome! That went rather quickly…._

Matsuda burst into the room. "She's elected!" he cheered.

Ide pulled off his sleeping mask and sat up on the couch, surprised. "Chill!" he said. "Matsuda…."

"She's elected," Matsuda explained happily to Ide. "The next Kira's spokesmen will be Tacky of NHN. The headlines are out."

"Tacky of NHN?" asked Ide.

_And now Takada is in play, _I thought to myself with a nod, then blinked. _Wait… 'Tacky?' Pff…. _"You mean Kiyomi Takada?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Matsuda grinned.

"Yeah, sorry, I don't know nicknames."

"That's okay!"

Light looked over at the mention of her name as NHN was put on the computer. "Good evening," said Takada on the screen. "This is Kiyomi Takada on News 6. From today on, it is my duty to send you Kira's words instantaneously and accurately."

"Go, Tacky!" Matsuda cheered.

"Hey, Light, she looks familiar," I commented, squinting at her. "Weren't you friends with her back at To-Oh?"

"Yes…," he said. "Speaking of which, Aizawa, can you get Mogi? I'd like to discuss something as soon as possible."

"Sure," said Aizawa. "Can we pick something up at the store on the way?"

"Of course."

* * *

**Uh... let me just say that Anna will _not _be paired with L, if this chapter makes it seem like it. She's thirteen. L is... like... thirty. No. Just no.**

_**Fun fact**_**: That whole scene where Sam talked about how huggable Near looked... it was written before Sam developed a hatred for Near. xD**

**Review? For Gevanni! No... for _Mikami_!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Oh my Light, guys... 100 reviews. I love all of you. And that, my friends, is the reason for this early update. :D And _tomorrow _I shall put up another chapter as normal!**

_**paige g**_**:** ...I always thought of Near as a mushroom. I guess that's just because Toad from Mario reminded me of him. xD Oh, the irony...

**Enjoy the (relatively short) chapter!**

* * *

"I'm _home!_" I sang happily. "Oh, hi Leonard!"

"Hello," L greeted.

My nieces ran to hug me. "Sorry I can't stay long," I grinned. "I gotta watch Light use his charisma on Takada."

"You mean his _manly charm_?" Anna asked, and laughed.

"Oh, Sam," I sighed. I looked to L. "Hey, you were real accurate. It's December fifth, isn't it? How did you remember and figure out the dates?"

"I have a long-term memory," was his simple explanation.

I smiled as I set down my bags. "If you two want something to do," I said to my nieces, "you can unpack my bags."

"On it!" Sierra replied.

Anna saluted me.

"See you soon, guys!" I grinned, then headed back to the headquarters. _I'm in Japan, _I thought happily. _It's weird, though. I notice now that the people on the streets sound different in America than here. There's a distinct difference… maybe it's my mind seeing them as two separate languages. If I can identify the difference, maybe I can consciously switch languages. I wonder how many languages I can speak…._

…_Anyway, it's gonna be weird just sorta watching Light woo Takada. Matsuda will enjoy it…. Say… what _is _with Matsuda? Maybe he really is a pervert…._

…_Nah._

_He's just childish._

_If he were a perv, it'd be creepy, that's for sure. …Yeah._

_And poor Ide will be so confused._

I smiled and continued on my way.

* * *

"T-turn it off!" Ide cried the next day. "This is bad!"

"My god, Ide, just turn away," I sighed.

"Yeah, what's the hurry, Ide?" asked Matsuda.

"Besides, they're only hugging," I shrugged.

"But they were…."

"Yeah. About to kiss."

Matsuda laughed joyously. "This is so fun to watch!"

"Kira?!" Takada whispered on-screen.

_Mikami! _I thought in delight. "Ooh!" I grinned. "Now, Matsuda, _this _is interesting!"

"Kira?!" yelped Ide.

"I-it can't be!" said Matsuda.

"It is," I said. "Look."

Someone died on the television screen on the screen. …The screen on the screen. Heh. Oh, poor man…. _Sakujo, _I thought, trying not to giggle hysterically in excitement.

"Oh no, he's the real thing!" Ide gasped.

"Well, isn't it a progress, though?" asked Matsuda. "A cell phone call from Kira…."

"I was about to say that," I frowned. "I mean, what we wanted was info on Kira, right?"

"Well, yeah," agreed Ide, "but…."

"Wha-?" asked Matsuda.

"Light's answering the phone," said Ide worriedly. "This is bad…."

"This is progress, though, isn't it?" I asked with a grin.

"What's so great about Light being in danger?" asked Ide.

"You look a bit excited, Natsumi…," Matsuda remarked.

"November twenty-sixth?" asked Light. "Five sheets of paper? What are you talking about?"

I giggled. "It'd be funny if Kira started randomly spouting nonsense…."

"That'd be weird," agreed Matsuda nervously. "But… Light is…."

Light wrote something down on a sheet of paper. In Japanese. "Meh!" I hissed.

"It can't be helped…," said Aizawa grimly.

"Let me guess: we gotta get rid of the bugs," I said.

"Can't you read?" he asked.

"Not Japanese."

"All these years, and you still haven't learned?"

"I know a little…."

He sighed.

"Can't we leave a bug or two?" asked Ide.

"No, if we do, and Kira finds out, they're both dead," I said.

"Exactly," Aizawa frowned. "We're not in a very good position here…."

_You're not. Light is. Even though you don't know that._

One by one, each of the screens went to static, and the speakers were soon silent. I couldn't help it. I burst into laughter.

"Wh-what's so funny?" Matsuda asked anxiously.

"Now isn't the time to be laughing," Ide agreed.

"Sorry…," I giggled. "I just… it was… oh… never mind…."

* * *

"Happy Wednesday!" I grinned, holding up my glass of grape juice.

"Does the day really matter, considering the circumstances?" asked L.

"Not really," I grinned, "but hey, Wednesdays are nice. The very middle of the week."

"I suppose…."

Anna giggled.

"It's weird," commented Sierra, and put some rice in her mouth. She covered her mouth before saying, "We used to be excited over Fridays, but whether or not it's Friday doesn't make a difference anymore."

"Yeah…," I agreed with a sigh. "And what with the whole 'going to another world' thing, we never finished school."

"Yeah," Anna sighed regretfully.

"I just miss it because that's where I was able to see my friends," said Sierra quietly. "Like Kylee and Savannah and Alyssa and Samantha…. Well, _my_ Samantha."

I laughed. "It's like a Samantha is an object, the way you put it. 'Everyone has a Sam. Get yours today!'"

Sierra, Anna, and I laughed.

"I thought ownership of other human beings was morally wrong," said L, sounding vaguely confused.

"It was a joke, silly!" I grinned, then sighed. "Oh, how I want to pet your hair…."

L opened his mouth to reply, but there was a loud knocking on the door before he could respond.

I blinked. "Light?" I guessed, getting to my feet. I opened the door to be glomped by a Sam. Nope. Not Light. "Sam!" I cried in delight.

"Eilatan-chan!" she replied. "Anna! Sierra! …Leonard…."

"Sam!" Anna grinned, jumping to her feet.

"Sayuri!" Sierra squeaked. Both of them ran over to hug her.

"Group hug!" I laughed.

"Yeah— yeah, okay, meh, you can stop now," said Sam.

"The four of us are together once more!" I cried dramatically as we all released her.

"Can I eat here?" asked Sam. "I'm starving…."

"Of course!" I grinned. "C'mon, I'll get you a plate."

She sat down on one of the seats. "So, what brings you here?" asked Sierra.

"The SPK just got to Japan," Sam explained, "and Near and the others still have to set up HQ, so I can eat here tonight, and I'll be contacted once it's all set up."

"So you're still with Near?" asked Anna.

"Yeah."

"That's so cool!" Anna cried. "I wish I could be with you…." I set Sam's plate in front of her and sat down.

"Yeah, well, it's kinda boring, to be honest," Sam admitted.

"But Near is awesome!" Sierra protested.

"Yeah!" Anna agreed.

"Not when you spend most of your time with him, listening to his long explanations on things I already get."

"I had to do that with L, you know," I laughed. "Yet I never got tired of him…."

"Yeah, well, L's awesome like that." Sam gasped, then pointed at L dramatically. "That man ditched me!" she exclaimed.

"What?" asked Anna.

"He left me alone with Near and his creepy smile, with only Gevanni to protect me! He is a cruel, cruel man!"

"You know why you had to stay and I had to leave," L sighed.

"She doesn't mean it," I assured him.

"Oh, by the way, thanks for changing your favorite character," said Sierra.

"You're welcome," Sam said. "Actually, Mello really confuses me, it's like I like him, but I hate him, and it's doesn't make sense!"

Sierra laughed. "So who's your favorite now?"

"Uh…," Sam replied, eyes wide. She glanced at L.

L took a big bite of his powdered jelly donut – he was the only one allowed to have sweets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"It's… uh—My favorite is—It's Matt! Yeah…."

L gazed at her, cocking his head to the side.

"Alright then…," I said, then laughed.

Anna giggled along with me.

"Yeah," Sierra agreed with a grin. "Matt's awesome. He's my second favorite!"

"Really?" asked Sam. "Who's your third?"

"Matsuda!" Sierra cried in delight.

"Matsuda's my… um…," Anna said, then thought for a bit of a longer time. "Matsuda's my third favorite, too, I think. Yeah…. Wait… does NeoLight count as a character?"

"NeoLight?" L asked after swallowing his donut.

"It's Light when he's all creepy and doing his evil laugh," Sierra explained.

"I'd think it counts," I shrugged. "It's kinda like how Light and Kira are almost two different people…. Kira is NeoLight, and Light is… well, Light. Obviously. Speaking of his evil laugh, though, I showed the investigation team Light's laugh!"

"Oh my god, Natalie," Sam sighed, trying not to laugh.

"And don't worry, Leonard, I didn't tell them it was Light laughing," I added.

"Did any of them think it was you laughing?" asked Sam.

I laughed. "No, Sam. Wow."

"Well, it sounds like you!" Anna insisted.

"Not really," Sierra disagreed.

"Somehow I doubt Natsumi is a mass murderer with a messed up sense of justice," L said dully.

Sierra, Sam, and I laughed. "Or _is _she?" asked Sam.

"I don't think so," said Anna.

"Who here out of all of us has actually killed a person anyway?" asked Sierra.

L cocked his head to the side. "Indirectly," he said.

"Um... I did," Sam said hesitantly.

"Oh my god!" Sierra yelped. "You killed a guy?!"

"Yeah…. On a piece of the Death Note… in my own blood… after I was almost shot three times…. All I'd have to do is die in a stairwell, and I'd be a Light."

"Actually," I corrected, "he gets shot five times before dying on the staircase. He's shot three times in the manga, where he dies in the warehouse, not in the stairwell."

"Oh, meh. Whatever."

I grinned. "What, do you _want _to be like Light?"

"No!"

"Exactly."

"Meh!"

"I don't wanna be a murderer," said Anna.

"Well, me neither," said Sierra.

"Ehhh!" Sam whined. "I killed a guy!"

"...Who was trying to kill you," L finished. "It was self-defense."

"I guess…."

I smiled intently as I listened. It was nice having the four of us back together again. Even if it was only for a short amount of time. And soon we'd be apart once more….

* * *

"You need to take a shower right now, young man!" Sierra commanded.

"…I'm thirty years old, Yui," L replied dully.

"Fine, then. You need to take a shower right now, thirty-year-old man!"

"…Right."

"Whoa," I commented, pulling on my jacket as I watched Sierra try to push L into the bathroom. "I didn't really keep track of his age. He _is _thirty now, isn't he?"

"I guess," said Anna.

"Well, I gotta go. Bye, guys!"

"Goodbye, Natsumi," said L flatly before Sierra shut the door in his face and leaned on the door to ensure it was shut tight.

"Bye!" Anna and Sierra said together. I closed the door behind me.

"Light's doing amazingly with Tacky, don't you think?" Matsuda was asking as I entered headquarters. "Oh, hi Natsumi!"

"Hi," I greeted with a smile, taking off my coat and hanging it up.

There was a crash as the door was flung open, then a rush of air as my niece ran in, then made a running jump to glomp Matsuda. "…What just happened?" I asked blankly.

"Wha-?!" Matsuda cried, nearly falling over.

"Matsuda!" Sierra cried happily. "Hi! I've always wanted to meet you, for real, not just glimpses, you know? So I followed Natsumi here so that I could meet you! Matsu!"

"Um…," Matsuda responded.

"Natsumi," said Light, getting to his feet, "get her out of here. I'm sorry, but she's not allowed to be here."

"Uh, yeah…," I agreed. "Yui, get off of Matsuda," I said, prying her away from him.

"Mehhh!" she whined.

_Well, _I thought, _now I know why she wanted L in the shower so badly._

"Look, Michiyo will get mad at you for leaving her behind, so you better go back there before she gets bored."

"Yeah…." She left grudgingly, but gave a very hearty goodbye.

Matsuda scratched the back of his head. "What just happened?" he asked.

* * *

**Yep, so I hope you enjoyed the extra chapter today! Tomorrow is the usual update, of course. I'm looking forward to that one, actually, 'cause something significant happens. :3**

_**Fun Fact**_**: Sam and Natalie/I used to do this thing where we'd call each other by our backwards-names. Sam would be Mas, and Natalie would be Eilatan. Ha.**

**Review? For Matsuda!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Well, guys, here's your bonus chapter! I hope you like it~**

* * *

"Sierra, you idiot," L said flatly.

"I just wanted to meet Matsuda!" she defended.

"You could have taken _me _along," Anna muttered.

"And now I'm almost hyper…," said Sierra. "Can I go on a walk?"

"I don't know why you're asking me…," L replied.

"Anna, are you coming?" Sierra asked as she pulled on her blue and white (horizontally) striped jacket.

"No," Anna replied. "I'm staying with L."

"Okay," Sierra responded, then walked out the door. She walked giddily down the halls and down the stairs to the lobby, where she headed out the doors to the outside world. "Away!" she cried in delight, and ran, weaving her way through the packs of people roaming the sidewalks. If she doesn't run for too long a time, her energy builds up, and she gets hyper. Her being hyper would be annoying to many of the people she knew, so she ran as much as possible. However, in enjoying herself too much, she ran head-on into a man who wasn't paying attention to where he was going.

Sierra fell backwards onto her butt with an _oof_. "There's a person there!" she remarked, then looked up. "Sorry, mister. I…." She gasped, then jumped to her feet. "Oh my god, Mihael Khee—I mean Mello—I mean person I probably shouldn't know!" She let out a squeak as his arm wrapped threateningly around her neck.

"What the hell do you know?" he hissed in her ear.

"Um…," was her witty reply.

His free hand – which actually held a chocolate bar – went to his ear. "Matt, I've got something. …No, just a girl who knows too much. …I wasn't asking you! Tch…. Yeah, I'm gonna drop her off for now…."

"Matt!" Sierra cried in delight.

"Shut up," Mello snapped in a low voice, adjusting his arm so he was gripping her shoulder tightly. "Now, follow my lead, and don't do anything stupid. I have a gun, and I won't hesitate to kill you if you run."

"You have a gun?" asked Sierra.

"Yes."

"In your pants?"

He rose what would be his eyebrow, his mouth open, about to bite his chocolate bar. "What the hell? That's none of your business."

"Anyway, sure, I'll do whatever," she grinned. She sure was happy she finally got some action.

"Good." He led her silently and swiftly down the sidewalk. _I can't put a blindfold on her…. Not in public like this, anyway. I'll have to make do…._

"What was that?" asked Sierra.

"What was what?"

"What was _that_?"

"I can't tell what you're talking about if you don't tell me what '_that_' is!"

"Okay. Never mind, then!"

Mello scowled. "Just be quiet."

"Will do, Mello!"

Mello winced. He led her through multiple alleyways. He kept changing direction, until Sierra wasn't quite sure where she was. _Uh…, _she thought. _Where am I?_

"Here," he said, opening an old door to what looked to be an abandoned building.

"Hm?" said Matt, looking up from his video game. "Oh, hey." He looked around, at the trash-littered floor. "Probably should have cleaned up a little, huh…? So who's that?"

"I'm Yui Yamashita! And you're Mail, I mean Matt, and that's Mello!" Sierra grinned.

"What the hell…?" asked Matt.

"See what I mean?" asked Mello, stepping into the hideout.

"And—and I know you guys, and Near and L and Matsuda and—"

"She talks a lot," Matt commented.

"Yeah," Mello agreed. "I'll be back later," he said, directing it at Matt.

"Wha-?" asked Matt, getting to his feet. "You're leaving her here? What do I do with her?"

"Just make sure she doesn't leave," Mello replied, grabbing the door handle. "Maybe squeeze some information out of her, but other than that, keep an eye on the screens, okay?"

"But—"

Mello closed the door.

Matt and Sierra just stood there, looking at one another in awkward silence. Sierra broke it. "Can I pet your hair?" she asked.

He stared at her.

The awkward silence continued.

* * *

"Do you work for L?" asked Mello.

"Nope!" Sierra grinned.

Matt was playing video games in the background as Mello and Sierra sat across from one another in opposing chairs.

"Near?"

"Nope!"

"Are you a spy?"

"Nope!"

He frowned. He wasn't getting anywhere.

Sierra smiled back innocently.

"Wait… you sound like…. Were you the girl that was in the group that stormed one of my hideouts?"

"No…. That was probably my aunt!"

"Your… aunt…?"

"Yup! Her name's Natsumi. She works in the Kira investigation team."

"Did she tell you about me?"

"Nope!"

Mello scowled and took out his gun threateningly.

"You _do _have it in your pants!"

Matt laughed.

"Shut up! Look, how the hell do you know who we are?"

"I know everything!" she proclaimed happily.

"Everything, huh?" asked Matt.

"Yup! Like—like you were raised at Wammy's House in Winchester, England! The first L was raised there, too, and so was Near, and BB! And A went there too, but he committed suicide…. And Linda went there! And I know about the Death Note and all its rules – even the fake ones – and I know all about how you got that scar, Mello."

Matt and Mello glanced at one another.

"I know about—"

"Okay," said Mello, "we get it. How do you know all that?"

"I'm from another world!"

Both Matt and Mello stared at her skeptically (though you couldn't really tell with Matt because of his goggles).

"No, I'm serious!" Sierra insisted. "I mean, I still come from Earth, but in a different reality where Kira doesn't exist and L doesn't exist and Wammy's House doesn't exist, and all of this is an anime and a manga called _Death Note_!"

They continued staring at her.

"I can prove it! I know more than you think, you know."

"Well, you certainly know a lot…," commented Matt.

"Fine…," said Mello. "Let's say, for a second, you're not lying."

"Okay."

"Why would you tell us you know everything?"

"Uh… I dunno. 'Cause you guys are awesome."

"Do you know who Kira is, then?" asked Matt.

"Yep! But I'm probably not supposed to tell you that…."

"I don't think you were supposed to tell us any of what you just told us," Matt pointed out.

"Well, that's true…."

_How do we know to trust her? If she's telling the truth, then she can be useful. But still, if she's telling us all this, she must not be too bright…._

"Hey!" Sierra protested. "Meanie!"

"What?" Matt asked blankly. "I didn't even say anything yet."

"Neither did I," Mello agreed. "Are you schizophrenic, too?"

Sierra gasped, then squealed in delight. "Yay!"

"What, did he guess right?" asked Matt. "Or maybe she's got a speaker on her…."

"You didn't check for speakers?" asked Mello irately.

"No."

"Why not?"

"It slipped my mind."

"Right…." Mello heaved an irritated sigh.

"I got Mello!" Sierra cheered. "I got Mello!"

"I guess she's got you…," Matt commented confusedly.

"No," Mello frowned. "_I _got _you_. You're being held here, remember?"

"No, no, I know how to prove I'm from another world!" Sierra squeaked.

"And how's that?" asked Matt curiously.

"I—I've got Mello!" she repeated.

"And what the hell is that supposed to _mean_?" asked Mello.

"I can read your thoughts!" Sierra exclaimed. "I can hear them! _You're _the one I'm partnered with here!"

"'Partnered with?'" Mello repeated.

"So you're psychic?" asked Matt.

"No, not psychic. Okay…. Mello, think something random, and I'll try to hear it. That'll prove I'm abnormal, okay?"

"Aren't we all abnormal?" asked Matt.

Mello scowled and snapped off a piece of his chocolate with his teeth. _Something beyond her knowledge. But she knows a lot in the first place, what wouldn't she know?_

"Well, I don't know _everything, _remember," Sierra pointed out.

Mello stared at her.

"I thought you said you _did _know everything," Matt commented.

"Don't be a smartass," Mello muttered. _Can she actually hear it?_

"Yeah!" Sierra grinned.

"Aw, come on," Matt complained in mock offense. "Whose side are you on?"

Mello's eyes narrowed. _Prove you can hear this specifically, then: I have no home; not even Wammy's is considered my home anymore. I live_—

"—my own way," Sierra finished. "You said that before. 'I live my own way.'"

"Yeah, that sounds like something Mello would say…," commented Matt. "Are you having a thought exchange or something? 'Cause I have no idea what you're talking about."

"To prove I heard you," said Sierra, looking directly at Mello, "you said that you have no home. Not even Wammy's is home anymore."

"I'm impressed," said Matt. "So… what am I impressed about?"

"I think she just heard my thoughts," Mello replied.

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"That's cool," he said. "Can you hear mine, then?"

"No, just Mello's," Sierra replied. "I can only hear one person's thoughts in this entire world."

"Well, that's stupid."

"Yeah, it'd be much more fun if I could read everyone's."

"Why, though?" asked Mello. "Why only one person?"

"I don't know," Sierra replied. "It's just the way things work for us. Each one of us is tied with one person, and we don't know who it is until we meet them. And once we meet them, we can hear their thoughts. Then, as time passes, the ties advance and become more complicated…."

"Wait," said Mello. "You said 'us.'"

"There's more of you?" asked Matt.

"Just three others," Sierra replied, then counted us off on her fingers. "My little sister, my aunt, and my aunt's best friend. Then… me. That's it. That I know of."

"Where are they?" asked Mello.

"I dunno," Sierra replied. "I'm not with them, remember?"

"Meaning do you live with them; are they nearby; are you in touch?" Mello clarified with his eyes narrowed in irritation.

"I live with my aunt and little sister; they're all in this country somewhere; and yeah, all three of them have my cell phone number in case." _They can't know L is alive, _she told herself.

"What do they do for a living?"

"Um, me and my sister don't do much; we just lie at home…. My aunt is on the Japanese Kira investigation team, and then my aunt's best friend works for… the SPK…."

"They're everywhere," Matt remarked. "But if you _are_ from a different world, how'd you get here?"

"We're still working on that, actually…," Sierra replied. "And we need to find how to get back…."

"Two of the four of you are working in groups against Kira," Mello said, pointing at Sierra with his chocolate. "You said you know who Kira is. You said you know nearly everything."

"Yep," Sierra replied. "We even know the future. …Up to the point Kira's caught."

"Exactly," said Mello. "It doesn't make sense. Why would you work to catch Kira when you already know how things work out?"

"Because we don't _like _the way things work out," Sierra explained seriously.

"I knew it," said Matt. "Mello's going to die. I knew you'd go too far."

"Um… no… that's not what I was implying…."

"If anyone dies, it'd be _you_," Mello snapped. "You're too cocky for your own good, you know that?"

_It's ironic that they're both right…, _Sierra thought.

"I was kidding," Matt said.

"So was I."

"Well, Mello, it's good to know you have a good friend at your side," commented Sierra.

"Where's your cell phone?" Mello asked abruptly.

"What? Um, Matt took it away."

"Matt," said Mello, getting up, "get that cell out so she can answer it. If her friends care about her, they'll be calling eventually."

"You'll let me talk to them?" Sierra asked.

"On speaker, so we can hear it."

"Okay then…."

* * *

**Yay! Mello's now in the story officially, and Matt has made his appearance! :D Plus, it's finally Yui/Sierra's turn to be in the spotlight! I'm so happy~**

_**Fun Fact**_**: Sierra and Natalie/I really do sound a lot alike. It's sometimes hard to tell the difference between our voices, which is why Mello almost mistook Natalie's/my voice for Sierra's.**

**Review? For Matt!~**


	27. Chapter 27

**Anonymous reviewers, yay~**

_**Amy**_**: **Haha, I don't know whether to apologize or to be happy you're happy about the whole hysterics thing. You'll find our who Anna's got soon enough, though. ^^ But here's your update~

_**Ellie:** _Proud to have pleased you! :) The thought conversations certainly amused me...

* * *

"Where's Sierra?" I asked upon getting home that night.

"I dunno," Anna replied. "She came back after she followed you, then went on a walk and never came back."

"L, worst-case scenario?"

"She's dead," Anna answered.

I blinked. "Oh, that's great…." I pulled out my cell phone.

"That is highly unlikely, however," L pointed out. "She can't be killed by the Death Note, and the crime rate in Japan has decreased dramatically. So she would have had to have died of either natural causes – which isn't probable at her age – or an accident."

"Yeah," I said. "An accident. With our luck, who knows?" The phone continued ringing on the other end. Then,

"Hello?" Her voice sounded a little bit distant, but I barely noticed.

"Sierra, you're alive!"

"Well, yeah I'm alive," she scoffed.

I laughed. "Well, Leonard was just discussing the most likely way you'd die."

"Oh, wow. Gotta love him."

"Um, yeah…. So where are you?"

"With Mello and Matt."

"…You're _what?!_"

L and Anna turned to look at me.

"Oh… I wasn't supposed to _say _that, was I? Ow! Don't stomp on my foot, you meanie poop!"

"What _happened_?"

"Well, I was walking down the street when I bumped into Mello, and he kidnapped me."

"He _kidnapped you_?!"

"Yeah."

"Well," commented Anna, "being kidnapped is a bad scenario. Who was she kidnapped by?"

I held up a finger to say '_Just a minute.'_ "That isn't logical, though, Si… Yui. Why would Mello kidnap you just because you bumped into him? He _is_ a hothead, but I don't think he'd go _that _far."

There was snickering in the background.

"Well, um… I… uh… may have accidentally… called him Mello," she confessed. "And Mihael Kheel. And then I told them we were from a different worl—Eh, stop _glaring _at me!"

"Yui…," I said slowly.

"I know, I get it," she said. "I'm a failure."

I blinked in surprise. "What? No, you're not a failure. You got in contact with another group. In fact, tell Matt I say hi, okay?"

"Um, sure…."

"Inferiority Complex?" L asked no one in particular.

"Oh, one more thing," said Sierra quickly. "I found out who my brain'll be tied with! I'm with Mello!"

"That's great!" I exclaimed.

"It is!" she agreed. "But… I gotta go…."

"That's alright," I said. "I don't suppose they'll be letting you go any time soon?"

"I doubt it…."

"Okay then…. Well… bye! Have fun! Don't die!"

"You too!" There was a click.

I lowered the phone and flipped it shut.

"So what happened?" asked Anna.

"Well," I said, "Sierra bumped into Mello today and accidently called him Mello, which showed she knew who he was…. So he kidnapped her. And now she's stuck with Matt and Mello and she told them we're from another world. …And her mind is now tied to Mello's."

"Oh, _come on!_" Anna complained. "When'll _I _have something fun happen to me?"

"I hardly consider kidnapping _fun_," I replied, then looked at L, who was biting his thumbnail at the moment. "L, you've got your thinking face on. What are you thinking?"

"If that's his thinking face," said Anna, "he thinks a lot."

"Well, Anna, what do you expect? He's _L_."

"Good point…."

"I cannot tell you what I'm thinking," he said. "You may unwittingly inform Light of it."

"Wha…? Okay then…."

"But _I _can hear it, right?" asked Anna.

"I'd say… no," L responded.

"Well, that's stupid," Anna muttered.

"Yes, very unfair," L agreed distractedly.

"He's lying again, isn't he?" Anna muttered.

"Yeah, probably…," I replied.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Matt asked dully.

Sierra looked up, surprised. _I thought maybe he wouldn't notice since he's playing video games. And Mello's gone…. Might as well tell the truth. _"I'm… looking for Mello's chocolate stash."

He chuckled. "Stash? You make it sound like he keeps it in secret."

"Well, yeah, that's what I figured…."

"He has chocolate shipped here weekly; he only likes one particular brand," Matt explained. "He keeps all the boxes in the back. I'm sure he won't notice one or two bars missing."

Sierra stared at him, wide-eyed. "All of those boxes… are _chocolate_? I completely ignored them!"

He laughed lightly. "There are even labels, you know."

"Yeah, well, I didn't even know it was chocolate. What _is _the brand name? Is it Russian, or what?"

"I have no idea."

"Yeah, I don't recognize it either." Sierra frowned. "I can understand any language if it's spoken, but not if it's written."

"Oh, hey, that's new. How the hell does that work?"

"I… don't know. My turn: how does Mello live only on chocolate?"

Matt looked up from his game and stared. "Okay, you got me. I don't know that either."

"Exactly." She headed into the back room, leaving the door ajar so she could keep talking. "You know," she said as she reached for one of the boxes, "I haven't told you all the things we get because we're from another reality."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. For example, there's the fact that we can't be killed by the Death Note. We're impervious to its power."

"Well, that's a pretty big detail you overlooked…."

"We didn't know it ourselves at first, but it turns out there were other versions of us in this world…."

"'Were?'" he repeated.

"Kira killed them when he tried to kill us."

"Huh. That would explain why you're not affected. But hey, would it work now that they're dead, or would it still be ineffective?"

"Well, I'd guess it wouldn't work; not in the same Note, at least, 'cause they had the same names as us."

"Huh…."

"Then there's our lifespans, too, which—oh God!" Sierra had pulled a box off, but the entire pile had toppled over, causing the entire chocolate structure to collapse, leaving her buried in boxes of chocolate.

"…What just happened?"

"Um… a little help?" Sierra asked, her voice muffled.

"Do I wanna know?" he sighed. Sierra heard the door creak open. "What did you _do_?"

"I pulled a box down. Now help meee! I'm getting smushed!"

"Where _are _you?"

She tried wiggling around. "Where the moving boxes are."

"…Okay then…."

"Maybe I can _eat _my way out!"

"Please don't."

"Aw…."

* * *

"Never do that again, okay?" Matt asked, lighting a cigarette. "It's annoying to rearrange all that."

"You think Mello will notice?"

"I hope not," he replied, then sighed, letting out a breath of smoke. "He can be touchy about his chocolate. And Near. He hates that guy with a passion."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Hate Near with a passion?"

"No, not really. I don't necessarily like him either, though, so…." He shrugged.

"It's gonna be weird, though…," commented Sierra quietly. "I've seen how the mind ties progress. Before long, Mello will be able to read my thoughts, too…. And then he'll have the upper hand. Eventually, we'll even be able to feel out each other's emotions."

"That _will_ be weird," Matt agreed. "But there's something I don't get…." Mello slipped in through the front door. "Hey, Mello."

"Hi!" Sierra greeted.

He gave a small, indifferent wave in acknowledgment, and headed to the back room. "Matt, you need to go out later to get some food. You can't starve her."

"Got it," Matt replied.

"So what is it you don't get?" asked Sierra.

"Well, I just don't understand _why _you only have one person, and that person happens to be Mello. It can't just be at random; things don't work that way. There's gotta be a reason you've got this weird connection with Mello, right?"

"Oh, yeah."

Mello came back in with a chocolate bar in his mouth.

"There has to be a connection in our childhood, apparently. Though I don't really get how I was like Mello as a kid…."

"Well, _I _wouldn't know," Matt replied.

"Yui," said Mello, "Matt's fed you, right? It's 11:36 at night."

"No…. Well, that would explain why I'm so hungry," Sierra remarked.

"Uh…," said Matt, standing up. "I'll be leaving now. What do you want?"

"Anything'll do," Sierra shrugged.

"'Kay. One meal of anything on the way." He walked out the door and closed it behind him.

"Bye!" Sierra called.

Mello's gaze shifted to her.

She looked at him. "What?"

"You said there's reason behind why you can invade my thoughts. I think we both want to know what that is."

"Okay, so… it has to do with childhood," Sierra said. "What was your childhood like?"

"You're the one who's got explaining to do; you tell me _your _childhood."

Sierra faltered. "Well, uh, if you go first, then you won't have to hear a long story, just the points that are the same."

"But that would put you at an advantage, because you'd know more about me than I do you."

"I _already _know more about you than you do me."

Mello scowled. "Exactly. We need more level ground here."

"You kidnapped me."

"But you still have the advantage."

"I guess… but…."

"But what? You tell me what happened to you as a kid. It's simple."

"Uh… I don't… know where to start?"

"You're making excuses."

"So are you!"

"At least my excuses are _logical_!"

"Meh!"

"Hey," said Matt, coming back in through the door, "I found a McDonald's a block away. Is that good…? Oh, what happened?"

"Mickey D's!" Sierra cried in delight, her upset mood instantly forgotten.

* * *

**I love the parts with Sierra/Yui, Matt, and Mello. :3 They were fun to write.**

_**Fun Fact: **_**Okay, way back in chapter ten (you know, when everyone was still back in that scyscraper L had made) I actually had to edit a lot of that chapter. Whole scenes were added while others were cut out. That one scene with Sam/Sayuri, Sierra/Yui, and Anna/Michiyo interacting with Watari wasn't originally in the story. I'm really glad I put it in, though... I miss Watari...**

**Review? For the amazingness of chocolate!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Someone's got it!**

_**Coryssa**_**: **Aha! You've got it, you've figured it out! You, my dear reader, seem to be the first, but boy am I glad you've got it! You've noticed the little things that should happen, see. The things that haven't, but have.  
I'm probably confusing people.  
Okay, first, you asked why Light hasn't tried to kill L. First, that would be betraying Natalie's trust, and he needs that. However, who says he hasn't already tried it anyway? You're right. Light _didn't _take it well. He _kinda _wants L dead. He still doesn't trust him. But some things just don't work anymore, as you'll find out in this very chapter.  
Second, you asked if, since Light can read Natalie's thoughts, Light would know a lot more than he should. But that's just it. He _does_. How much he knows I can't tell, but I can tell you that he _is _going to use the information to his advantage and he _will _throw off the main plan.  
Lastly, you asked whether Natalie should be corrupted too because of how far gone Light was. Their minds may be connected, but the poison known as corruption can't spread quite yet. As the mind ties progress, however...  
Don't apologize. I personally like Light, and you didn't offend me in the least. I'm just going to thank you very much for the review. ^^

**That review. It made me so happy. ..._All _reviews make me happy, actually.**

**Anyway, I'll shut up now. Early chapter, yay. :3 Enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

"I'm kinda upset," said Sierra, munching on chocolate taken from Mello's supposed 'stash.'

Matt, meanwhile, was playing a video game while smoking a cigarette. "Hm?" he replied.

"Well, I wanna figure out why me and Mello are connected, but he won't tell me his past. And I don't wanna go first…."

Matt clicked a button then leaned back with a sigh. He cocked his head to look at her, taking the cigarette out of his mouth. "It's gonna be hard getting that one outta him."

"Really?" Sierra asked. "Why?"

He took a breath of his cigarette. Smoke curled in the air as he spoke. "He doesn't remember anything from before he went to Wammy's."

"How old was he when he came?"

"Well, I wasn't at Wammy's at that time, but I've been told he was around two."

"Well, it's natural for him to not remember anything at two, right?"

"Well, yeah, but the rest of his past was at Wammy's. And you already know about Wammy's' right? I'd bet money he was abused before he came, though. Not sure, but I heard Roger talking about it."

"Abused?" she asked.

Matt shrugged. "Might have been; my guess is as good as… Near's, I guess. His personality checks in pretty well. Plus, he has a serious inferiority complex. I remember Linda said that when he first came he wasn't in the best shape: real skinny with welts and bruises. Roger said he had a nasty bump on his head when he came, too, which is probably why he doesn't remember any of it. But still, his parents died just like everyone else there."

"Is it good at Wammy's?"

"Yeah, it's nice, I guess. Roger can be pretty annoying at times, though. I swear, he hates kids."

"He does," she said.

Matt eyed her (which was hard to tell due to those orange goggles of his). "How much _do _you know?"

"Matt," she said. "Real name: Mail Jeevas. Grew up at Wammy's house, founded by Quillsh Wammy, aka Watari. Your birthday is February first, and your de…" – Sierra stopped herself and continued – "…you love video games and hate going outside. You're a long-time friend of Mello from Wammy's, and you help him when he asks for your help when he's no longer in the mafia."

"Okay…," Matt replied slowly. "That's… abnormal."

"Yeah…." Sierra looked to the ground. _Now that I think about it… I wish Matt wouldn't die. He's so nice to be around. And knowing he's going to die next month…._ Her thoughts were cut short when her cell phone rang. _Anna? _she thought upon looking at the number."Hey, am I allowed to actually talk to my little sister instead of keeping it on speaker?"

"Sure," Matt replied, gazing at the monitors that he was supposed to be watching all the time.

"Thanks." She answered the phone. "Hello?"

"This is Leonard."

"Oh, hi Leonard! Why are you…?"

"You aren't on speaker, correct?"

"Um, yeah…."

"Michiyo is currently in the shower and Natsumi is gone, so only you will be hearing this."

"Um, alright…."

"Be sure not to let this slip to Matt or Mello."

"I can do that."

"How much did you tell them?"

"Uh…." She wandered into the back room so it would be harder to hear her. "I didn't tell them who you are, but they know I'm from another world, that I can read Mello's thoughts, and that we aren't affected by the Death Note. They also know why we're connected. I told them we knew everything, including who Kira was, but I didn't tell them who…. And I told them there were three others and that Natsumi is in the Kira task force and Sayuri is in the SPK."

"Is that everything?"

"I think so."

"Think harder. Did you give away anything else?"

"Uh…. Their real names."

"This is all?"

She hesitated, thinking over everything she'd said to them. "…Yeah."

"Good. Tell them nothing else."

"Okay…."

"Now, Matt and Mello don't have much time left. Only a month."

"Yeah."

"You can save Matt."

Sierra blinked in surprise, staring at said video game lover through the crack in the door. "Really? How? I thought you said—"

"Yes, his lifespan is growing short. He is meant to die. However, that doesn't necessarily mean he has to."

"But—"

"The Death Note can't affect me anymore," he interrupted.

"Wha…? How?"

"My lifespan is similar to yours now, which I believe proves its credibility. Not only that, but don't you think Light would have tried to kill me by now, in some discreet way? Perhaps an accidental death? My theory is that this change happened that night when Michiyo embraced me and almost took me back to where you come from."

Sierra blinked. Oh. "So I have to do that? How?"

"You don't have to hug him. You only need to keep hold of him in some way. Then, all you have to do is think passionately of home. You have to sincerely want to go there. If this plan goes well, he'll begin pulling on you, and will then take you back."

"Do I tell him that-?"

"You may tell him that you stopped his death from coming about. In fact, you will need to. Although he can live longer now, he will still die if he is sent on that mission to distract Takada's guards. You must either prepare him to survive multiple gunshots, or send someone else on the mission."

"Oh… okay…."

"Therefore you'll have to tell him how and when he dies…. That'll be interesting, I suppose. But you can't tell them about that yet, as they haven't made the plan. Got it?"

"Uh, yeah…."

"I won't be calling you again to avoid suspicion, so I need to explain things to you now."

"Yeah?"

"You can save Mello, but you have to do it in your own judgment. I cannot foresee the circumstances you will be in. Can you do that?"

"Yeah."

"Whatever you do, _don't _do anything stupid."

"Like I've already done," she sighed.

"Correct. Goodbye, Yui," he said, and there was a click before she could respond.

"Thanks a lot, Leonard," she muttered. She flipped her cell phone shut, shoved it into her pocket, then charged out of the back room. "Matt," she announced, "I want a hug."

He looked at her for a second. "…What?"

She frowned. Well, that had ruined the moment. "I want a hug. Can I hug you?"

"Uh… sure, I guess."

"Yay!" she squeaked, and glomped him.

"Ah, jeez," he said, nearly tipping over.

_Sam should be the one hugging him, _Sierra thought teasingly, though Sam wasn't even anywhere near her. She tightened her grip on him, closing her eyes.

"Okay…. You can stop now."

_Home. You need to think of home. Well… I miss Dad. And Kalob. And Jamie. And Alyssa, and Savannah, and Kylee. I miss Mickey. I miss… I miss my brothers, Wayne and CJ. I miss my mom. I want to see my friends and family again. _She conjured up an image of the small mobile home she lived in. _I want to go home. Away from the stress of nearly being killed. I want to be there…._

"Uh…."

"I know you want me to let go," Sierra frowned. "Sorry. I can't at the moment."

"What's going on?"

"What's… what?" Sierra opened her eyes. "Holy shiz…."

"This… is awesome," commented Matt.

Contrary to what one might think, they seemed to be passing through light colors, moving past them so fast it was all a bright blur of blues, whites, and greens. They were flying through breathable nothingness. Before them was something dark, coming closer. _The room at Maxey Island, _Sierra thought.

"Maxey Island?" asked Matt. "What's that?"

Sierra laughed aloud, filled with an odd sense of joy as she passed through this place. "You can read my thoughts here!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" She carefully let go of him and hooked arms. _Be sure not to let go…, _she reminded herself.

"What'll happen if we detach?"

"Bad things," she replied. _Meaning I have no idea_.

"That's nice."

"C'mon, Matt, take off those goggles and see these pretty colors! That way, you won't just see orange!"

"Uh, no."

"Come on!" she said, pulling them off of his eyes and lifting them onto his forehead.

He squinted. "It's very bright here."

"That's true!" she laughed.

Then his bright green eyes rounded as he gazed at the new world. Or rather, the in-between.

"Better than a video game?" asked Sierra.

"Well, I wouldn't say _that_…."

They had reached the room of Maxey Island by then, and Sierra gazed at the room nostalgically. At the floor where they'd slept; the table where they'd kept the chips and pop and other snacks. Sierra squeezed Matt's arm. _How long has it been since I've been here?_

Matt started pulling on her, and she looked at him. He blinked at her. "We're repelling one another," he said.

"Hold on tight," she replied, hugging his arm. Still thinking of home. _Where did the time go? I miss them all…. _Tears came unwillingly to her eyes, but she was still smiling. _When will I see them again? Gosh darn it, I'm being overemotional again. Dad called me that sometimes._

"Hey…," Matt said. "Don't… uh… don't cry…."

The repellant was soon gone as they went at incredible speeds back to where they were back in the world of Death Note. _Away from home. _They came to a sudden halt, inertia causing them to crash into the couch and tip it over.

Matt was laughing. "I have _no clue _what just happened, but it was fun!"

Sierra quickly wiped away the tears and sat up. "Yeah. Very fun. Do you believe I'm from another world now?"

"I'd be damned if I didn't."

"Right…." She looked seriously at him, pausing to let him recover. "Your death date is January twenty-sixth, 2010."

He stared at her, and blinked. Sierra let it process in his head. "Wha…? That's next month. You're kidding."

Sierra shook her head. "I'm not. I just changed your lifespan, though, by taking you back to my world, where our lifespans are always changing."

"So you just saved my life," he said. It was more a statement than a question.

"Yeah, pretty much."

He sat up. "Well… thanks." He felt the top of his head. "Where are my goggles?"

"Uh… they were there when I put them on your forehead."

"Shit," he muttered, getting to his feet. Sierra got off the couch as he put it back to its normal position. He searched through the cushions in hopes of finding his well-loved orange goggles, hoping to find them.

"Well, you can go on without them, right? I really do love your eyes," said Sierra.

"That's not the _point_." He found them on the floor in front of the couch, and picked them up. He held them in his hand a moment, gazing at them.

"Do they mean something to you?" asked Sierra.

"Yeah, sure," he replied, putting them on.

"Are they all that's left of home?' Sierra asked quietly.

He looked at her.

"I have absolutely nothing left of my home," she murmured. "The only things we have are a Walkman, an iPod, a manga box set, and a stupid empty bag of Tangy Carolina Barbeque chips." She sat on the couch. Matt followed suit. "None of it is even mine. None of it can really take me back to my life." She swallowed. She hated it, but she knew she was going to cry soon. Sierra pulled her knees up to her chin. "I have nothing left of my mom or my dad… though I guess it's stupid to be saying this in front of you, since I at least _knew _my parents…. At least my parents aren't dead…. But I haven't seen my mom since I was taken away from her…. I hadn't seen her for years before I even came to this world. All because of that bastard Tony…." She sniffed. "And I loved being with Dad and Jamie and Anna and Kalob. To be honest, Mom scared me sometimes. _Tony _scared me. I wish… I wish he'd die…."

Mello came in, saw her crying, then awkwardly made his way to the chocolate storage place.

Sierra didn't notice. "And I loved my brothers," she continued. "But… Mom always liked them better. I was never the best. And don't go saying Mello was in the same position because I was always _last_. Not second." And Sierra had an epiphany, and kept talking. "After a while, I just figured I would never be the best unless I was like my brothers. I changed myself in hopes of being more loved…. It didn't matter, though…. Now I'm an individual. I'm me. But even now I know I have to be better than others at things, otherwise I'm just a failure." She wiped her eyes. "Sorry, Matt. I don't usually spill my thoughts like that. Maybe you're just easy to talk to…."

"Uh, sure…," Matt replied.

There was a snap from behind them, and Sierra whirled around to see Mello with a snapped off piece of chocolate in his mouth. "Sorry," he said around the chocolate.

"You heard all that, didn't you?" she sighed.

"Most of it."

"Meh…. Just my luck…. Well… do you think that's why our brains are connected? We both got that whole 'I have to be the best or I fail at life' thing going on."

"I don't fail at life!" he snapped.

She laughed. It was forced, but soon she'd be back to herself. She knew so.

She was used to it.

* * *

**Well... there's Sierra's past for you... She didn't have the best of childhoods. *sigh***

**Anywho, I'm pretty sure you noticed I updated on a Tuesday. Why? Today is my last day of summer vacation. Tomorrow... _school begins. _...Meh. The next chapter will be put up tomorrow, though, so this technically the extra chapter~**

_**Fun Fact**_**: You know when L figured out why Natalie/I was synced to Light? When I wrote that, I was only just realizing, as I wrote, that I had Light attributes as a kid. It was at that moment I come up with the whole childhood connection thing. Before, I wasn't completely sure what the mind ties were all about. xD**

**Review? For Matt's goggles? :D**


	29. Chapter 29

**Well, here's the usual update~**

**Oh, and I figured out how many chapters there will be in this story. _It Is Done _will have 34 chapters in all, plus an epilogue. Only five chapters to go after this one. :'D And then will be the sequel!**

**Anyway, enjoy!~**

* * *

"Cheers to being alive," I said, raising my glass of grape juice. Anna raised hers, and L just… watched.

"Come on, L, you need to raise your glass!" said Anna.

"Oh… alright," he said, hesitantly holding up his cup of tea.

"Aren't you eating?" asked Anna as we lowered our cups.

"I told you, I'm not hungry," he replied. "At least I'm at the table. Aren't you satisfied?"

"No!"

"He has an irregular eating pattern," I sighed. "He eats whenever he feels like it instead of eating a normal breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"That is correct," L confirmed as there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Anna asked no one in particular.

"We'll see," I replied, getting up. _Maybe Sierra's here? But Mello wouldn't let her go…. Maybe she brought Matt and Mello? Then we'd need to hide L…. Or maybe it's Sam again? _I opened the door. _Oh. Wow. How did I not see that coming? _"Hi Light!" I greeted. "I thought you'd be with Takada again."

"I had a day off," he replied, coming in. "Besides, it's Sunday, isn't it?"

"Light!" Anna grinned, jumping up to run and hug him. He accepted the hug graciously.

_It's odd_, I mused. _Anna used to hate Light, I'd thought._

"Light," L greeted with a small wave.

"Oh, hello, Leonard," Light responded. The two of them stared at one another a moment.

Anna looked from one to the other, back and forth. "Are they… having a staring contest?"

Light broke the gaze. "Can I help at all with making dinner, or is it already made?"

"Already made!" Anna chirped, pulling Light by the arm over to the table. "C'mon, I'll get you your plate!"

"Thank you," Light replied with a smile.

"It's funny how Michiyo readily believes in your acts, Light," L remarked. "Perhaps you could show some sincerity for once."

"Leonard," Light replied coldly as Anna seated him, "has it ever occurred to you that, perhaps, I have some sincerity to my actions?"

"Not at all."

Light frowned.

"Hey," I interrupted, "let's not be… like this. Light, if he's bothering you, you don't have to stay…."

"No, I'm perfectly fine," Light answered coolly. "I won't let Leonard spoil our dinner."

"Well, he can be kinda mean sometimes," Anna conceded, "but he's still awesome."

"I digress," Light replied.

"But you're awesome too," Anna added.

"Hardly," L frowned, turning away and pulling his cup of tea to his mouth.

_This dinner might be a little bit awkward…._

"Leonard, you should at least show a small amount of respect," Light admonished. "After all, I can't help but respect you after all you—"

"I cannot respect a murderer," L said flatly.

Light sighed.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion," I said.

"Yeah," Light agreed grudgingly.

"Sure," L muttered.

I sighed heavily, and we ate in silence. Any conversations Anna tried to start up died quickly. It made things quite awkward. So we ate, the silence thick in the air, not even Anna's occasional words thinning it.

We were halfway through the meal when something weird happened. No, aliens didn't break into the house, and no, it didn't involve flesh-eating bananas or nuns. L, stone-faced as he sat in his normal crouching position, suddenly burst into laughter. Everything went on pause. Light paused in taking a sip of his drink, and I stopped mid-bite, both of us just staring at him. Poor Anna happened to be in the middle of a swallow when it happened, so instead of stopping short, she choked.

"_L?!_" she gasped.

He continued laughing, his cheeks beginning to go red.

Light slowly put down his drink as I just as slowly put my food down. "What's so funny?" asked Light.

L stopped, giving a few breathy laughs as he tried to catch his breath. The blush began to slowly drain from his face. "I'm not sure." He put his hand to his head. "I don't know what is going on."

Anna continued to choke.

"I... never thought I'd see the day where the monotonous L laughs hysterically," I said slowly.

"It's Samantha," he explained. "She's really enjoying herself right now…. Something to do with forcibly hugging Near and Lidner thinking Gevanni is jealous…." He cocked his head to the side, his expression now blank. "Oh. She's had chocolate."

"You can feel her emotions now?" Anna asked.

"I forgot to tell Light I can feel his emotions!" I cried, then turned to him with a very serious face. "Light, I can sense your emotions."

"And why didn't you tell me sooner?" Light asked.

"Perhaps you're not the only one that can keep secrets," L replied.

"I suppose that's a point," he conceded, eyes narrowed. "I've been getting vague notions of what Natsumi is feeling, as well."

"I'm not alone!" I cheered, then laughed. "And with that little… incident… with Sam, it's almost like the whole group's back together!"

"Only Sierra isn't here," Anna pointed out.

"Yeah…."

"Where is Yui, exactly?" Light asked.

"Uh…," I responded, deliberately blanking out my mind.

"She wanted a break from all of this Kira business, so she left for America to visit this world's version of her family. She was homesick," L replied coolly.

Light frowned, but said nothing.

"_Today is Mello's birthday!_" I exclaimed.

"Mello's…?" asked Light.

"…Birthday?" finished Anna.

"Joy," said L dully. "Happy birthday, you chocolate-obsessed criminal genius."

* * *

"Do you have any candles?" Sierra asked as she pulled a tray of brownies out of the oven.

"You made _brownies_?" asked Matt. "I didn't know you could _cook_. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, you never asked, so…. Um, do you have candles?"

"No. Why?"

"Today's Mello's birthday!" Sierra grinned.

Matt stared at her. "Well, yeah…." He took a breath of his cigarette and breathed out a puff of smoke.

"Don't you celebrate your birthday? Don't tell me you don't know your own birthday."

"No, we do…. It's just… we never celebrate it."

It was Sierra's turn to stare.

"I mean," he said, "I'm sure every kid at Wammy's had the friends that said 'happy birthday' whenever it came around, and there are definitely kids who are excited about it, but we never actually _celebrate _it. Besides, the only friend Mello had back at Wammy's was me."

"Wow…," she mumbled, then looked down at the triple chocolate brownies. "You think he'll like them anyway?"

"Are you kidding?" he smirked, cocking an eyebrow. "It's _chocolate_."

"Good point," Sierra conceded. "But I'm tired…. Can you tell him I say happy birthday when he comes home?"

Matt looked at her. "Home?"

She shrugged. "What is home anymore anyway, huh?" she asked dismally, then curled up on the floor, pulling the blanket over her.

"Hey, you've got the couch, remember," Matt said.

"No, I'm good…," Sierra replied. "I like the floor."

* * *

When I came into headquarters the next morning, Matsuda looked excited. Before he could say a word, I said, "Yes, Matsuda. Happy birthday."

"Yay!" he cheered. "See, Aizawa, it _isn't _pointless!"

I gasped in mock surprise. "Don't you care, Aizawa?"

Aizawa frowned and turned to Matsuda. "Aren't you a little old to be getting so excited for your birthday?"

"Well, _I_ don't think so," I replied.

"Speaking of which, Natsumi, when's _your _birthday?" asked Matsuda.

"A week from today," I responded.

"Oh, cool!" Matsuda cried. "We have the same birthday month!"

"Yeah," I grinned. "Fun."

* * *

"Mmm…," Sam hummed. There was a sudden clatter as Near abruptly began knocking over his towers of disks and rummaging to find a specific one. Sam jumped. "Near," she mumbled, "you scared me."

"Sorry," he apologized absently, holding up a disk labeled 'Kira's Kingdom.' He put it in the device they had, and soon Mikami was on every screen along that wall.

"Oh my god," Sam commented, gazing at the wall of many prosecutors. _So… many… Mikamis. _She flapped her arms, fighting the urge to squeal. _Sakujo! You know, L, if your listening, Mikami is my cousin!_

_I somehow doubt that, _he replied.

_He's also dating Natalie's mom! …Well, he _was, _last time I checked, but that was years ago now…._ "Near?" Sam asked as he gazed at the screens, a remote in either hand.

"What?" he replied distractedly, not shifting his gaze.

"Can't _I _do something to help the team? I mean, Rester is somewhere else and Gevanni is somewhere else and now Halle's Takada's bodyguard…. What can _I _do?"

"You?"

"Yeah."

He looked back at her. "Quite frankly, you would fail at any missions I could give you at this point. You have no experience in any important fields that are required. So now, you can keep me company."

"Um… okay…. Thanks for the confidence boost, Near."

"I don't think that was a confidence boost," he replied, turning back to the screens and pressing a button.

"That was sarcasm, Near."

"I don't recognize that," he responded. "Forgive me."

"No, no, it's nothing to be sorry about. You just need a sense of humor."

"I have a sense of humor."

"You do?"

"I should think so."

"Oh… okay then…."

* * *

"Near," Sam said blankly, "you celebrate Christmas?"

"Yes," he responded, looking through the fake tree and pulling down an ornament of a stuffed snowman.

"Oh… that's cool," Sam said. "What do you want for Christmas?"

He rummaged through the Christmas tree again. "Nothing," he replied.

"Nothing?" asked Sam. "Absolutely nothing?"

"I have all I need."

"Oh… okay." Sam frowned. _He's like a child, but the most abnormal child I have ever seen._

"Do you want anything?" Near asked.

"Uh…," Sam replied, taken aback. "No, no… I'm good…."

He turned around and smiled at her. "You act like I'm acting strangely, yet you respond with the same answer."

"Um, yeah."

He turned back around and held up a bell, smile gone. "You just agreed with me, despite the fact you think me to be odd. Samantha, that is a bit hypocritical."

"Well, yeah," Sam agreed. "I know I'm a hypocrite. But isn't everyone? I'm just one of the only people who admits it."

Near smirked. "I believe that's the first intelligent thing I've heard you say."

"Gee, thanks, Near."

"Sarcasm?"

"Uh, yeah."

He set down the bell. "See, I can learn."

"Don't expect me to be so fast at learning," said Sam with a laugh.

He looked back at her and grinned.

_Oh god._

"Don't worry, I perfectly understand that you're a little slow."

"Yeah…." She blinked. "Hey!"

* * *

"I believe I can fly!" Sierra sang.

"Will you shut the hell up and go to bed?!" Mello snapped.

"No!" Sierra replied happily. "I've been kept in this place too long, you don't let me run. And when I don't run, I get pent up energy that makes me _hyper_!"

"It's hard to believe this is the kid that saved my life," Matt mumbled. Matt had explained to Mello the day before about how she'd saved his life and of the proof he had she was from a different reality. Sierra then explained how he could still die, and would therefore warn them before they executed that plan.

"I am not a kid," Sierra huffed. "I'm eighteen!"

"You _are_?" asked Matt. "I'm only a year older than you! And I thought you were, like, thirteen or something…."

"I give that impression to a lot of people," Sierra replied.

"Yeah, well, it's annoying," Mello muttered.

"I give that impression to a lot of people, too," Sierra answered.

Mello glared at her. "I can see why."

"Whoa," said Sierra. "I just realized how close in age we are. Mello, how old are you now?"

"Why should I tell you?" Mello replied.

"He's twenty," said Matt.

Mello glared at him.

"What? What could she possibly do with your age? And besides, it's not like she'll turn against us anyway."

"Hell if you actually know that," Mello muttered.

"Oh my god my aunt is older than both of you," Sierra breathed. "Oh my _Light_. Um… gosh." She changed the subject. "It's too bad that Matt… like, never shows up in the manga in our world. Poor Matt. You only show up in… twelve panels, I think."

"I should definitely get more than that," he replied.

"I guess you're just not that important," Mello responded.

"Oh really? Without me, you'd have no info on what Misa Amane is doing."

"You're too cocky; you're not useful at all. You let down your guard and don't pay attention to the monitors!"

"Okay, guys, don't fight," Sierra interjected.

"He started it," Matt said.

"Wha-?! You're acting like a kindergartener," Mello frowned.

"Yeah, well, maybe that's my personality."

"True…."

* * *

**Unexpected laughter, birthdays, and playful proddings and quarrels. Fun. :3**

_**Fun Fact**_**: Looking back, the whole 'flesh-eating bananas' and 'nuns' thing in that part where L started laughing hysterically was actually not completely random. There was once a night around the time I wrote this where I told a scary story to Anna about a flesh-eating banana (I didn't want to scare her and to be honest I was random that night). Then there's the fact that Sam is afraid of nuns.**

**True story.**

**Review? For birthdays? :D**


	30. Chapter 30

**Four more chapters. ;-;**

**Okay, you're probably wondering why I'm updating on a Tuesday. Sorry. This isn't a double update, unfortunately, just a chapter put up a day early. Why? Because I'm leaving with Sam to go to a pig roast tomorrow, and I probably won't get the chance to update. So... here we are. Hope you enjoy it~**

* * *

Sam burst into laughter.

Near stopped mid-sentence. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied. _Wow, I just realized that Near has no clue that I, someone right in front of him, have all the answers to the questions he's trying to solve. I know every little bit. Who Kira is, whether Takada and Mikami are involved, and even the plan that'll bring him to victory. Plus, I know the real L isn't dead. That's a bonus. Wow…. Near is clueless…. I know more than him…. _Something occurred to her. "Hey Near…" she said slowly, "…how old are you?"

"Why?"

"Um… I was just wondering, 'cause you're so amazing and smart and… stuff…. Yeah…."

"I'm eighteen."

"Holy crap I'm _older _than you?!" Sam asked incredulously.

"Well, looking at your reaction, I'm guessing so."

"Whoa, that's so weird…."

"I can see why that can be so," he said, cocking his head to the side as he examined one of his lego people. "You see me as a superior because I'm in charge. It's odd to have someone younger than you to look to as a leader." He set down the lego person carefully. "Unless you don't see me as a leader, of course… which is perfectly possible."

"No, no, I obey you. You're like my mom."

He looked back at her quizzically.

"I meant my dad," Sam said hastily.

* * *

"When'll I be a part in your plan?" Anna asked boredly.

"Soon enough," L replied, tapping away at the computer.

"How soon is soon?"

"Soon."

"Well, _that's _specific. Come on, L, I just want to do something other than sit here all day. It's stupid and unfair – Natalie's with the Kira investigation team, Sam is with Near, and Sierra's with Mello. And I'm stuck here, doing _what _to help get this plan or whatever planned out? Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"I understand your frustration."

"No you don't, L. You don't have emotions."

L stopped typing and looked back at her. "I do," he disagreed.

"Well, you never show them."

"Actually, I do."

"Only sometimes, though."

"Yes," L replied, turning back to his work.

"L," Anna sighed, "who do you think I'll be tied with?"

"I don't know."

"Liar," Anna pouted. "You're _L_. You know _everything_."

"Do I?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then. I know everything."

"Now you're just agreeing with me so I don't argue."

"Yes," he confirmed, holding up a sheet of paper and examining it.

Anna sighed.

* * *

"Awkward silence," I whispered.

"It's not awkward," Aizawa growled. "We're _thinking_. So be _quiet_."

"Yes, sir," I replied, giving him a salute. I then gazed at him thoughtfully. _I never really noticed before, but he really does change after Soichiro's death. Maybe I didn't notice before because it was less… real._

"Technically it isn't silence at all," Matsuda pointed out. "Light is typing on the computer; that makes noise."

"You know what she means," Ide frowned.

I sighed dramatically. "Oh no, now two are against us, Matsu. Both Aizawa _and _Ide are our enemies."

"Well, that makes it even, right?" asked Matsuda.

"_Kira _is the enemy," Aizawa snapped.

I held up my hands in a peace-like gesture. "I know, I know. I, unlike you, like _lightening_ the mood, therefore I'm not always serious. I know _when _to be serious, though, Aizawa, so don't doubt me, okay?" I paused, then giggled. "Haha… _light_ening the mood…."

Aizawa closed his eyes, frowning, and shook his head.

"Meh," I sighed.

* * *

"Happy birthday, Natsumi," Matsuda greeted the next day.

"Thank you Matsuda," I replied, "but, quite frankly, I don't like attention. So let's please ignore that. 'Kay?"

"Um, alright…."

"I would have thought otherwise," Aizawa muttered.

"True," I conceded. "My spazzy nature probably _would_ make one think I craved attention. I really don't though…."

"Matsuda does," Ide pointed out dully, jerking his thumb toward Matsuda.

"H-hey!" Matsuda cried.

"Oh, don't pick on him," I smiled.

"We have justification to," said Ide. "He acts like an idiot all the time."

Matsuda laughed weakly.

I shrugged. "Yeah, well, just make sure you don't hurt the poor guy's feelings. I mean, look at him…. How can you hate that face?"

"Uh… right…," Aizawa replied.

* * *

"There are times when I feel like we're already living together, since we've been doing this every night," Light said through the speakers.

"Me too, Yagami," Takada replied.

_It wouldn't matter if I zoned out right about now, would it? _I asked myself. _This is awkward._

"Coffee, no sugar, and one cube in the black tea, correct?" asked Takada.

"Yes, thank you."

"I must say," said Ide, "they've become quite close in a really short period of time."

"You've got that right," Matsuda agreed. "It's exactly the same feeling with two newlyweds."

"Matsuda?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you like listening to this so much?"

"Well, I honestly wish we still had the video. Without it, I feel kinda unsatisfied…."

"Matsuda?"

"Yeah?"

"What is wrong with you?"

"…What? What do you mean?"

"A lot of things are wrong with him," Ide responded.

"Hey!" Matsuda protested.

"I mean, I have to agree with Ide on that one point: it's kinda awkward listening to this."

"Is someone _jealous?_" Matsuda asked.

I looked at him quizzically. "Matsuda. _Why _would I be jealous?"

Matsuda laughed. "I was kidding, Natsumi!"

"Okay then," I muttered.

We began listening to the audio again to discover Takada had talked with Misa. "Uh-oh!" Matsuda cried in delight. "Light's in a pinch!"

"Natsumi has a point," said Ide. "Why _are_ you enjoying this, Matsuda?"

A thought occurred to me. "You're not a pervert, are you?"

"Wha…? No…."

"Okay. Good."

"Amane said she would announce at the New Year's show that you two are engaged," said Takada coolly.

"Pinch, pinch, oh boy, he's in a pinch!" Matsuda cheered.

"Matsuda, shut the hell up!" Aizawa snapped.

His enjoyment dissipated. "Yes, sir…."

I laughed. "Matsuda, you're so amusing."

"Thanks, I guess," he replied.

"Please believe me, Takada," said Light. "Now it's only you."

"'Now it's only you?'" Takada repeated. "That doesn't sound like you at all. Such a common line."

"Well, she's right," said Matsuda, "it doesn't sound like Light at all. That's just a sad excuse."

I rolled my eyes.

"Then, which one is he really interested in, Amane or Takada?" asked Ide confusedly.

"You see," Matsuda responded, "that would be… both."

_More like neither, _I thought. _He doesn't have the ability to fall in love at this point. _I chuckled bitterly.

Ide stood angrily. "I can't believe you would forgive the act of dating two people at once…!"

"Well, it's not me, so…."

"_Shut up!_" Aizawa barked.

_I feel bad for him, though, _I thought absently._ His soul is getting farther and farther from being saved…. Luckily, the whole memory-erasing situation would wipe all that away, but… only if it works…. I guess I have to just trust L on this one. _I tuned back in to the conversation.

"…But if you're lying to me, something bad will happen," Takada informed Light. "Because I'll inform Kira."

_Oh, the irony, _I thought. _He _is _Kira._

"Whoa," said Ide. "Women are scary…. She'll inform Kira… and Kira will kill him."

Light laughed. "Takada, you have a good sense of humor…."

"See?" said Matsuda, care-free as usual. "It's just a joke, Ide."

"…I wasn't joking," said Takada.

I laughed.

"And so you _laugh_?" asked Ide incredulously.

"Maybe I'm not the only one with something wrong with them," Matsuda teased.

"Now I'm beginning to think," said Light, "you and I being together is the most important thing and I'm slowly starting to not care what happens to this world."

"Yagami…," Takada murmured.

"I suppose it'll become their own personal world," Matsuda said with a smile, closing his eyes.

"Created by Light, right?" asked Ide.

I sputtered. _Yeah, he'll create a New World, alright…._

"To live together…," Takada said slowly, "and have a peaceful day…. To realize this…. If it wasn't for Kira…."

"Oh?" Matsuda and Ide asked in unison.

"See, Matsuda?" I asked. "This is something _everyone _can enjoy."

"Be quiet," Aizawa hissed.

"If only… Kira were caught…?" said Takada softly.

"What?" asked Light calmly.

"What?" Matsuda inquired incredulously.

"What?" Ide questioned, eyes wide.

"What?" I asked for the hell of it.

"If Kira were caught, we could be happy," Takada said definitively.

"T-Takada," sputtered Light, "do you mean that?"

_Oh, meh, I can feel his smugness, he's not surprised._

Ide and Matsuda glanced at one another.

I grinned contentedly.

* * *

"Can we go out for a walk?" Anna asked boredly.

L glanced at the unused suitcase. "No," he replied. "I am not leaving this room. I have decided I hate suits."

Anna laughed. "They're annoying, aren't they?"

"In my opinion, yes," he said, and dropped a strawberry into his mouth.

"Yeah, I like skirts and dresses better."

L stared at her. He swallowed his strawberry before he responded. "I just like a simple shirt and jeans."

Anna laughed. "Well, yeah, I wouldn't expect you to want to wear a dress!"

"That's good."

"Very good," Anna agreed. A pause. "I've seen a picture of you in a dress, though," she added thoughtfully.

He turned to stare at her again, pausing in his feeding session, mouth open, and hand holding the next strawberry. "I'm not sure I want to know," he said, then ate the strawberry.

"Oh, it wasn't just you. I've seen fanarts of Light in a dress and Mello in a dress." She scowled. "And Near in a dress."

"May I ask why?"

Anna shrugged. "There are people in my world called 'fangirls,' and apparently a lot of them like that."

"I see…."

"Yeah, it's weird…. Aw, if only Sam's iPod were here. Then I could show you all the fanarts she has saved on there."

"Why would I want to see myself in a dress?"

Anna laughed. "No, no… she favorites stuff that's amusing. Like Light throwing a cake in your face, or Mikami doing an unhappy face, or those demotivational posters. I'd even be able to show you other anime from our world! I wish I could show you Black Butler or Angel Beats or Naruto…." She blinked. "Hey, do you think all those other animes have a world dedicated to them out there somewhere?"

"It's certainly possible," L replied.

"I wonder why it is that we were taken here then…," she mused. "Maybe Maxey Island is only connected to here? Or maybe it's connected to everywhere, but… we still ended up here. Why?"

"Would you rather me look into that sort of thing instead of how to save Light?"

"No," said Anna thoughtfully. "I'm just curious…. And there were two others that went missing before us. An infant named Sophia and a five-year-old named Max. Where did they go? Did they come here? Or did they go to another world altogether?"

"My guess is they went to another world," said L, "but I can't be sure…. The possibility they're somewhere in this world isn't zero."

"Yeah…," Anna agreed.

* * *

**_Fun Fact_: In the last chapter, the story mentioned how L's face reddened slightly as he laughed. It actually only occurred to me recently that that may be an attribute of L because, after all, he's never seen laughing. Plus, I thought it was adorable. xD**

**Review? For Sophia and Max? owo**


	31. Chapter 31

**I'll be putting up an extra chapter tomorrow. Why? There's a convention I'm going to this weekend, and it makes me such a happy, happy chicken. Therefore, extra chapter for you. :3**

**_Amy_****: **Well, it's good to know you like this enough to keep coming back to it~ ^^

**Well, enjoy this one~**

* * *

The next day was Christmas Eve, but to be honest, it didn't feel like it. We still worked at the task force. I mean, it was still weird to see no snow on the ground whenever Christmas came around. It didn't snow as often as I was used to in Tokyo…. I supposed after a long enough period of time, though, I'd be used to that much. What was odd was the fact it wasn't a national holiday. So… we still went on as normal. Matsuda got excited about it, but there wasn't even one of the gift exchanges me and my friends usually had together. Why? We were all in different places. Sam was somewhere I didn't know with Near and Rester, Sierra was somewhere I also didn't know with Matt and Mello, Anna was back at my hotel room with L, and I was busy in HQ with the Kira investigation team. We were all separated.

_I wonder when we'll all be together again, _I thought idly. _When will we all be together?_

So Christmas day came, and it went. No excitement was felt by me, though I did wish L, Anna, and Matsuda a merry Christmas. I also called Sierra and Sam to tell them the same – apparently Near celebrated Christmas as well, according to Sam. Still, also according to her, he wasn't very festive. He was just investigating Mikami and trying to figure out whether he had a shinigami or not. Yeah. Merry Christmas indeed.

"Do you ever get exercise?" Anna asked L the day after Christmas as she lay on the bed, propped up on her elbows, feet kicking in the air.

"Of course," he replied.

"How?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "You… like, never get up."

He took a sip of the liquid sugar he called tea. (I knew – I tried it once with his permission. It tastes literally like liquid sugar. But sweeter. If that's possible.) "There is always the exercise of the mind, Michiyo, though I do make sure my body does not fall out of use."

"Oh really?" she asked. "You look like just a really skinny dude that never goes outside. Ever."

"I'm stronger than I look," he replied.

"That rings a bell…," she said pensively. "Didn't you say that to Light when you were fighting him?"

"Something like that, I think."

Anna realized something. "Hey, wait, you can fight!"

"…Yes."

"Don't you know, like, martial arts or something?"

"I am trained in capoeira, yes," he said.

"What is that, Korean?"

"Brazilian."

"Oh….Huh." She looked up. "Hey, do you think I can beat you?"

"Beat me?"

"In a fight."

"No," he said matter-of-factly.

Anna frowned. "Oh really?"

"Yes, really," he answered dully.

"Is this a challenge?" Anna asked, sitting upright.

"No," he replied. "I was just stating a fact. You simply could not beat me."

"Try me," she challenged, standing up, poised for attack.

He turned away and ignored her. "No, Michiyo. I am not going to fight you."

"Is L a _chicken_?"

"No. L is a human."

"…You know what I meant."

"Yes."

"Meh." She ran forward and attacked, hoping for the element of surprise.

In the blink of an eye, L had shifted onto his lower arms, his legs curled above his body as Anna went to the ground with a thud from the kick. "No fair!" she cried from the floor. "You caught me by surprise!"

"Isn't that the whole point?" he asked as he readjusted himself to be crouching on the chair, facing her. "And you were the one trying to catch me by surprise, weren't you?"

"Uh…."

"The sound of your feet on the floor gave you away," he said.

She jumped to her feet. "Meh!" she yelped, then charged forward.

L smoothly bent over, putting his hands on the edge of the chair, and sprung ahead using arm strength, flipping himself over Anna and causing her to crash into the chair, which rolled into the wall from her impact. L turned around expressionlessly to find her dazed beside the now-toppled-over chair.

She shook her head. "What was that for?!" she yelled.

"You charged at me," he replied simply.

"So? You made me hit the wall!"

"The point is to fight back. It doesn't matter how."

"Fine," Anna huffed. "No weapons."

"Is a chair considered a weapon?"

"Jeez, L, no _props_, okay?"

"Alright," he responded, cocking his head to the side.

"Go ahead," said Anna. "You go first this time."

"No," said L, putting his index finger to his mouth as he turned his body around to face her, "I'm good."

Anna scowled, then let out a war cry as she charged forward again, fists flying in attempts to make a hit. L fell to a crouch, then brought his leg up into a powerful kick, making Anna stumble backwards. She recovered quickly and came forward again, this time bending one leg as she brought the other up in an attempt to kick him in the face. He bent backwards in response, falling back onto his hands, then brought his feet up in a backwards flip to kick her in the face. He straightened up as she rubbed her nose.

"Ow…," she mumbled.

"There is no point to this, you know," L pointed out.

"It's called _fun_!" Anna exclaimed, falling to her knees and somersaulting between his legs, popping up behind him and pouncing on his back.

He bent forward with her weight. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"_Death glomp!_" Anna bellowed, then laughed evilly.

"Glomp?" he asked.

"Meh, you ruined the moment! It's an aggressive hug, dummy!"

"I'm… a dummy?"

"Yes. You're a dummy."

"Alright then…." He bent forward and somersaulted onto his back, consequently lying on top of Anna.

"Hey!" she cried, her voice muffled. She began to squirm. "Get _off_!"

"No," he replied, staring intently at the ceiling.

Anna thumped her fists on his chest. "Get off, meanie!"

"I don't think I will."

"Why _not_?"

"If you are allowed to defeat me with a crude move such as a 'death glomp,' I can defeat you by simply lying on you. It's only fair."

"No it's not!"

"Sure it is, Michiyo."

"_L_…!" she whined.

"Yes?"

"Get _off_!"

"Now why would I do that?"

"I can't breathe!"

"Hm… I see…."

"L!"

"Well, you might attack me again."

"I promise not to, just get off of me!"

"Fine," he said, rolling over, then sitting up.

Anna took a gasping breath of air, propping herself up with her hands. "What the heck, L?" she asked breathlessly. "I could have died!"

"You know I wouldn't kill you," he responded, getting to his feet and heading over to his fallen chair.

Anna got her feet, walked over to him, and whacked him upside the head. His head tilted from the impact. "That's for doing that!" she frowned, then stalked back to the bed.

He turned his head to stare at her as he set the chair down, upright.

* * *

Sierra awoke one morning to an empty room. "Where's Matt?" she asked, sitting up. He wasn't on the couch, though the monitors were still playing on the multiple computer screens nearby. "What time is it?" she asked herself. "Did I sleep in? Where _is _everyone?" She frowned. "Mehhh, they left me! What do I do, what do I do?" She jumped to her feet and proceeded to run in circles, screaming like an idiot.

…Just as Matt came in the door.

Sierra stopped abruptly. "Oh, hi!" she greeted.

He stared at her blankly. "Hi. I see you're up. What do you want for breakfast?"

"Anything, really," she shrugged. "I kinda crave something sweet, but I always do, so… what do we got?"

"Well," he said, rummaging through the plastic bag in his hand, "do you want… a donut?" He lifted a chocolate donut out of the bag.

"Oh my god," Sierra breathed. "That donut looks delicious."

Matt smirked. "Yeah, doesn't it?" he asked, waving it around.

Sierra came closer. "Is that where you were?" she asked excitedly. "You got donuts for breakfast? I _love _donuts! Can I have it?"

Matt lifted it out of her reach. "No, you can't have it."

Sierra's eyes widened. "Why _not_?" she whined. "I want the _donut_…. _Please _give me the donut?"

"No. You can't have this donut. I got a whole bunch of them, but they're only for me and Mello. None of them are for you."

Sierra's mouth dropped open. "_Whyyy_?"

"Because you're supposed to be like a hostage."

"No fair!"

"Too bad you can't have it," he teased, waving it around again.

Sierra frowned.

"It's the best type of donut around, too. A bakery nearby; real good."

She scowled.

"Plus, it's all _chocolate, _which—" Sierra snapped and punched him in the face. "Shit," he muttered on impact. Sierra snatched the donut and ran, eating it in the corner. "You just _punched _me," he said with a frown.

"Don't tease me with sweets!" Sierra snapped.

"Sorry, sorry, you know I was kidding. They're for all three of us."

"Wha-?! Meh!"

"I guess it doesn't matter, though, you took it anyway," he chuckled as he set the bag on the counter and headed for the couch. "There's more in the bag, if you're still hungry."

"Okay!" she grinned. "But why'd you go without me?"

He began lighting a cigarette. "You were sleeping," he said around it, then lit it. He took a deep breath, then let out a stream of smoke. "By the way, don't tell Mello. I wasn't supposed to leave you alone."

"Well, take me with you next time. I need to go out at some point."

He looked at her. "Huh, I hate going outside."

"I don't!" she grinned.

"I can see that."

"Well, yeah…. I just like to run."

"Yeah. I don't. But tomorrow I'm going to go on a full round, to actually replenish our food supply so I won't have to go so soon."

"Sounds good to me!" Sierra grinned.

* * *

"Yay!" Sierra cheered the next day, pulling Matt along, weaving through the people on the sidewalks.

"Hey, don't run," said Matt.

Sierra let out a little squeak when she nearly ran into someone, hugging Matt in order to dodge them.

"Sorry," she said, letting go then yanking on his wrist as she ran forward in pursuit of the store they were going to. "Oh!" she yelped as she saw she was leading Matt into a person. She tugged him away from the person, only to make him smash into someone else. "Sorry!" she cried.

"Uh, I don't think I'm ever taking you along again," Matt commented.

Sierra laughed.

* * *

"I don't know what's going on!" Matsuda cried.

"I don't think you ever do," I commented.

"H-hey…."

It was New Year's Eve, and Misa hadn't arrived at the New Year's show, as Takada had just explained on television. Of course, I knew it was Near who had kidnapped her, along with Mogi.

"Psh, a happy New Year, huh?" I asked.

"No, not at all!" Matsuda yelped.

"And that is the point of sarcasm."

"I know, but… this can't be joked about!"

I rolled my eyes. _And how many times have you joked about _serious _matters?_

"This doesn't make sense!" Matsuda exclaimed. "Misa sang more than thirty minutes before Ayame! Is this an act?"

"No, Matsuda," I replied. I turned to Aizawa. "Where's the location of Mogi's cell phone? Are they still in Akasaka?"

"Yeah…," Aizawa replied confusedly. "They must still be in the EBS TV station, where the CD Grand Prix was held."

"They're still there?" asked Ide. "Something weird is up…."

"No kidding," I replied. "Someone contact Mogi."

"Yes," agreed Light. "Ide, try to contact Mogi."

"Yay!" I cheered. "You agree with me!"

"Of course," he replied, looking at me quizzically. "I agree with things that make sense, and you made a logical suggestion."

"Exactly."

"He won't answer," said Ide.

"No answer?" asked Aizawa.

"Nope. I hear it still ringing though."

"Light, call Misa," I suggested.

"Already on it," he replied.

"Well that's good," I said. "Wow, we think alike. Maybe we can read one another's thoughts!"

The corner of his mouth twitched upward. "Don't be ridiculous, Natsumi."

_Did I just see a smile, there, mister? _I thought happily.

"No good," Light said. "Same as Mogi…."

"That's strange," said Ide. "What's going on?"

"Well, Takada comes to mind," I commented, "but Light talked with her, and I personally think Takada is too smart to actually ask Kira to kill Misa."

"Well, with women, you never can tell," said Matsuda.

I frowned.

"Oh, um, sorry…."

I laughed at that. "Okay, well, if it isn't Takada, I suppose it could be Mello again. After all, he escaped, didn't he?"

"Oh yeah!" said Matsuda. "I completely forgot about him!"

"Or it could be Near," I added. "Near is very likely, actually."

"Yes, that's a possibility as well," Light agreed.

"I agree," said Aizawa.

Light tapped a few of the keys, and a calligraphic N soon appeared on the screen. "What is it, L?" asked Near.

"Both Mogi and Misa Amane are missing," Light replied.

"I wish I could say hi to Near," I mumbled.

"Why?" asked Matsuda.

I shrugged in response.

"Yes," Near agreed. "We've abducted them."

"W-what'd he say?!" yelped Matsuda.

"Don't joke around!" Ide yelled.

Aizawa scowled, bringing his arm up to block Ide and Matsuda from Light and the computer.

"Near…" said Light slowly, "…for what?"

"Insurance," Near replied.

I sputtered, then laughed aloud. Matsuda, Ide, and Aizawa stared at me. "Sorry… I just imagined Near… it sounds like he's talking about car insurance…."

Aizawa rolled his eyes.

"Well, th-this is kidnapping, isn't it?" asked Matsuda. "Like the former L, and now Near…."

"Yeah, this is definitely a crime," said Ide.

"Not if they came willingly," I pointed out solemnly.

"Would they?" asked Matsuda incredulously.

"Maybe," I replied with a shrug.

"Near," said Light, "abduction and captivity are crimes. Stop this at once."

"Actually…," said Near, and continued on.

* * *

_**Fun Fact**_**: I actually did have overly-sweetened tea before; it was more sugar than tea, but _eventually_ all the sugar dissolved... It _did _taste like liquid sugar. Not that that's a bad thing. I mean, it was delicious at first, but then I got sick of it after a few sips...**

**Review? For... car insurance?...**


	32. Chapter 32

**Here's your extra chapter~ Ah... two chapters left...**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

"Insurance," said Near simply.

Geico was the first thing that came to Sam's mind, and so she laughed. "Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance!" she cried. Then she realized the actual image before her – Near had done his creepy smirk as he'd said that. "…Creepy Geico," Sam mumbled. "Near, are you a gecko?"

Near was ignoring her. "Actually…" he said, "both Mr. Mogi and Amane have accepted this."

"What?" Sam asked confusedly. "You being a gecko?"

"I had them stay a little away from me, but L, you can have a conversation with the two. Shall I hook you up?"

"Okay, it's kinda mean that you're ignoring me," Sam huffed. "Honestly, Near. I know you scare me, but that's no reason to ignore me."

"I'll be glad to," said Near, and clicked a few buttons. Then he turned around to glare at Sam, twirling his hair. "I was having a conversation with L, Samantha."

"Sorry," Sam mumbled. "It's just that you reminded me of the gecko from Geico commercials and then you reminded me of that one guy who always says 'Could fifteen minutes save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance?'" - she changed her voice to match his as she quoted said guy - "and something amusing always happens. And so I imagined you with his voice and it was funny."

He gazed at her skeptically.

_I find it amusing that he thinks he know everything when _I'm _the one who knows everything, _she thought dully.

"Samantha, you need to be quiet, alright?" he said, turning around.

"Um, sure, but…. I don't mean to be rude, Near, but I hate the name Samantha. Can you call me Sam?"

"Of course. All you had to do was ask." He tapped a few keys. "L… if I make a statement on my deduction to the whole world as L, most people will accept and believe who Kira is, including the existence of the notebook."

Sam stared at Near. _The whole time… all I had to do was ask? Meh!_ Sam blinked. _So he's talking to Light. Light's a fail. An epic fail. I can't wait to see him die…. His death is so funny. Pff…. And since L hasn't told me anything about any sort of plan, I'm guessing he doesn't have one. So… Light's a goner. Ha!_

"Yes, you are right," said Near.

_Light? Right? Meh. Oh, that rhymes…. Light, right, Light, right, Light, right…. …I'm annoying myself._

"If this happens, Kira will surely kill me," said Near.

_Whoa, if what happens?_

"And definitely kill all those who know of the existence of the Death Note. That is Kira's thoroughness."

_Okay… I'm just gonna zone out through the rest of this now…, _Sam thought, and tuned out of the conversation.

* * *

"If that's the case," said Near as he spread all but the Kira and Near finger puppets away from him, "we will face L in twenty-four days, if Gevanni is still alive. Of course, I'll carry out the plan assuming he will still be alive at that time."

_Near's got the plan together? _Sam thought. _Near has a plan? _The _plan? No more explaining and thinking and figuring out?_

_Near has come up with the final plan? _L asked.

_Yes, I think so, _Sam confirmed.

_Perfect timing. Everything is going flawlessly._

_Uh, whenever someone says that, it goes wrong._

_Sorry. I'll never say that again._

…_Wow, really?_

_Probably not._

_Oh. _Sam looked around, bringing herself to her senses. "So Near, we've officially got a plan?"

"Yes."

"Finally!" she cheered. "Yes!"

He frowned at her. "Are you not happy with the timing? I was trying my best to figure things out, Sam. I'm sorry if I wasn't thinking fast enough."

Her smile froze. "Oh, um, no, I just—I never had anything to do, and I thought I might be able to help now that a plan is formulated. I don't want to be… a burden…."

"I see," Near responded, gazing at the two finger puppets before him.

"Where did you _get _those?" Sam asked. "I mean, that one actually looks like you. The Kira one is hilarious, 'cause it looks nothing like Kira, but where do you get personalized finger puppets like that?"

"They are personalized because I made them personalized," Near replied. "It was a finger puppet _kit_, meaning I created the looks of each."

Sam pursed her lips in interest. "Where'd you get it?"

"I'd ask Rester that question," he replied, looking back at Rester.

Rester turned in his chair. "What?"

"Where'd you get the finger puppet kit thing?" Sam asked.

"Uh, I had to put in a special order at a huge toy store," Rester replied. "Kits can be hard to find."

"Darn," Sam sighed, then eyed one of the puppets. "Oh my god, is that _me_?"

Near looked where she was staring. "Yes."

"Oh, that's so cool!" Sam squealed. "…And creepy…." There was silence for a little bit, and Sam just sorta stared at all of the different finger puppets, her lips pulled into a thin line. "Can I squish one of them?" she asked hesitantly.

"What?" asked Near, looking at her.

"Can I squish one? They look squishy."

He picked up the puppet that represented Kira and squashed it between his thumb and forefinger. "…Yes, they are quite squishy."

Sam giggled. _Wow. _"Can I squish one?"

"Sure," Near mumbled, looking away as he set the Kira finger puppet down again.

Sam stooped to pick one up. It happened to be Mikami. "It's Mikami!" she squeaked, then squished it. And then squished it again. "It's so _squishy_!" she cried in delight, then examined it and sputtered with laughter. "Mikami looks like a lizard! Oh, these are so amusing!"

"Yeah," Near muttered, twirling his hair.

"I'll stop now," Sam said with a sad frown, setting down puppet Mikami.

* * *

"It's January already," I mumbled to myself. I rocked on my heels uncomfortably as the sobering knowledge of the near future hung over me. _Not much time left._

_Time left for what? _asked Light.

_Oh the irony, _the back of my mind commented. _Until… you know… Near…._

_Near? Ah, so he's executing his plan just as I expected?_

_Um, yeah._

He smirked. _Perfect._

I swallowed uneasily. _Yeah…. Just as planned, huh?_

_Yes. _He eyed me suspiciously.

_What?_

_Nothing, Natalie._

_Don't lie, I feel your suspicion._

_And I feel your worry and unease, _he countered.

_Oh, um…._

_You feel bad for Near._

I blinked in surprise. _Yeah, that's it! _I lied. _Meh, this mind sync thing isn't always the best thing._

_No, but it's certainly unique._

_Yep!_

* * *

"Greetings, dear Mello!"

"Be quiet," he muttered as he closed the door behind him.

"Do you not like the name Mello?" Sierra asked innocently.

"That's not why—"

"Would you rather be called Mr. Mello?"

"No," he replied irritably as he sat between her and Matt on the couch, leaning back to relax.

"How about Spaz? 'Cause you're more spazzy than mellow."

He frowned at her as he snapped off a piece of chocolate with his mouth. Matt chuckled quietly.

"No? How about… marsh-mello?"

He continued glaring at her.

"Watermello?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Melly-o's!" Sierra exclaimed.

"Apparently you're an important part of a nutritious breakfast," Matt commented, amused.

Sierra giggled.

Mello sighed irately.

Sierra frowned and huffed. _Meh. You're no fun, _she thought.

"I'm more fun than a lot of people," Mello scowled. "More fun than Matt, who sits around playing video games all day."

Sierra blinked. _Oh my gob, can he hear my thoughts already?_

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here," he grumbled, taking another bite of his chocolate.

Matt looked at him. "I didn't say anything," he said. "And by the way, sitting around and playing _video games _all day is much more fun than _standing _around eating _chocolate _all day."

"True!" Sierra yelped.

"Tch," Mello replied.

_Can you hear me? _Sierra thought, biting her lip in anticipation.

"I'm right here," Mello said, glaring at her. "What do you think I am? Deaf?"

"No," said Matt, "but you may be hearing things. Maybe _you're_ the schizophrenic one."

"What?"

Sierra jumped to her feet. "It's spread!" she cried in delight. "It's spread! _You _can read _my _thoughts now! And since we can read each other's thoughts, we can even converse through thought so no one can hear! Well, once we get used to it…. Isn't this exciting?" she squeaked.

Mello stared at her, chocolate halfway to his mouth. "No," he responded.

"What?" she cried. "Why not?"

"He probably wants to keep his thoughts private," Matt said with a shrug. "I can get that. I mean, who really wants someone they just met to be probing their thoughts? And now, sure, he can hear yours, but if you think about it, it can be almost creepy."

"I guess…," Sierra mumbled.

* * *

You know what I really, really hate? It's that thing called time. Time is always inconvenient. When you're suffering with boredom - or excruciating pain - time passes painfully slow. When you're looking forward to something in the future, it takes forever for time to pass. When you're having fun, it moves too quickly. And when you're dreading something you know will come to pass, the due date of said event rushes toward you before you blink an eye. I hate that. _So much_.

Every side in this supposed war made their moves. Near moved forward with his plan; Light's plan continued on as well; Mello and Matt began forming a plot; and L's plan was executed even further behind the scenes. _I _didn't know what he was planning for sure. Actually, I had no idea. It was four different sides playing against one another, and even I wasn't sure at that point who would win. It really didn't occur to me, but I just figured Mello would die, Light and Near would face one another and Light would lose, and then L would somehow save Light's life; I hoped. That's what I thought. But thinking back on it now, who knew what sorts of things would happen with me and my friends' meddling?

I paced nervously in HQ, wringing my wrists and picking at the skin on my neck uncomfortably. _How much time is left? _I wondered. _I don't want to check the date. Surely it hasn't been that long…. _I swallowed. _I feel sick._

I rubbed my forehead. "Light," I said abruptly, stopping in my pacing and looking up at him from the ground. "Can I have a hug?"

He turned in his chair and looked at me quizzically for a moment. "No," he replied, then turned back to his work.

I breathed a sigh of distress and continued pacing.

"Don't deny a girl a hug!" Matsuda cried. "All she wants is a little hug. Jeez, Light…. _I _can give a hug, Natsumi, if you want!"

"Sure," I mumbled, halting in my never-ending pacing long enough to get a hug from Matsuda. I swallowed hard, though, as not-so-good thoughts swirled through my head. _Soon Matsuda won't be so nice and cheerful. Soon Matsuda will be shooting Light. _Images popped in my head, reruns of the episode in which Light was shot multiple times. And, though the wound was not fatal, it still pushed Light farther than he could go.

"What's wrong, Natsumi?" asked Matsuda.

"Nothing," I replied. "Absolutely nothing."

Matsuda frowned as a beeping sound was heard from the computer. "Oh," said Matsuda, "it's Near."

_Could he be planning the meeting at the Yellow Box warehouse already? _I wondered. _Is everything already planned? Is it that late in the month? Where the hell did all that time go?_

"L," said Near.

"What is it, Near?" asked Light.

"I want to see you," Near replied.

_Oh crap! _I thought. _It's that time already? What's the date? What is the gosh-darned _date_?_

_It's January twenty-fifth, _Light thought. "I believe you regard me as Kira, don't you?" he said aloud. "You shouldn't want to show your face to me."

I heaved a sigh. _Oh boy…. Four more days until it all begins…. Or rather… _ends_…. How did the time pass that fast…?_

* * *

"Then I guess I'm going to have to do it," Mello said grimly, then flipped his cell phone shut.

"Was that Halle again?" Sierra asked, spinning around and around in the middle of the room to ease her boredom.

Mello said nothing, but stood up off his chair and headed over to Matt, who was relaxing on the couch, head tilted to rest on the back of the couch. He tilted his head to look at Mello. "Hm?" he asked wordlessly, not taking the lit cigarette out of his mouth.

Sierra continued spinning.

Mello just looked at Matt silently.

Matt straightened up in surprise, taking the cigarette out of his mouth. "You've got a plan?" he asked.

Mello nodded, and Matt got to his feet. "Finally," Matt said.

Mello rolled his eyes. "You know Takada, right?"

Matt took a deep breath of his cigarette before replying, "She's the new spokesman for Kira, right? Who _doesn't _know her?"

"She's connected to Kira," said Mello seriously. "We're kidnapping her."

"Alright…," Matt said slowly. "We're going to kidnap Kiyomi Takada, Kira's spokesperson, who has high security everywhere she goes?"

"Yes."

Matt smirked and took the cigarette out of his mouth. "Fun. Kira-lovers are gonna be pissed… and so are her guards. Am I the distraction?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Sierra cried, stopping in her spinny fun to stumble over to the two Wammy boys like a drunken man. She walked right into Mello.

He scowled, gripped her shoulder, and pushed her away, holding her at arm's-length. "Yes?" he asked irritably, and let her go.

She toppled over into Matt, who shifted to make her fall onto the couch. "I'm dizzy…," she said.

"Obviously," Matt commented.

She sat up. "But this plan—you kidnapping Takada—fire—he—Matt'll _die _if you make him the distraction!"

There was a pause as this sunk in. "So _this _is the plan you mentioned…," Mello muttered.

"Uh," said Matt, "how, exactly, do I die?"

"You're shot multiple times by Takada's guards," Sierra explained in earnest. "And if you go, even though I made your lifespan ever-changing, you'll still die. So…."

"Not if we're well prepared for exactly what I'm headed for," Matt pointed out with a confident smirk.

"You do realize it's probably your cockiness that gets you killed, right?" Mello asked dully.

"Mello, be quiet," Matt frowned, smothering his cigarette in an ashtray. "Besides, all we need is a nice Kevlar vest to protect my chest, and none of the shots will be fatal."

"Don't forget a helmet," said Sierra nervously. "They could shoot you in the head."

"About how far do they shoot from?" asked Mello.

"Um… a few yards away, maybe…."

"It's not too close," said Matt. "I'd be fine with the vest and a helmet."

"But if they realize you're not dying, they'll probably come closer to make sure you're dead," Mello pointed out.

"You could play dead," Sierra suggested.

"Oh, that's no fun," said Matt. "But it'll work…."

"Then the fact that Takada was just kidnapped will catch their attention, and you can get out once the commotion settles and the guards are distracted," Mello said.

"Sounds good," Matt said with a nod.

"There's one other detail I need to clarify, though," Sierra said, raising her hand.

"And what's that?" asked Mello, crossing his arms.

Sierra pursed her lips, hesitant, then explained, "In this plan, you die too."

Matt and Mello glanced at one another.

And they discussed a plan.

* * *

**Well, things are really moving along, aren't they? Two chapters left now... Oh boy. I kinda don't want this to end. D: Ah... at least there's the sequel after this.**

_**Fun Fact**_**: In that last scene, where Sierra was spinning around and around and around... that came from a day when Anna and Sierra came over and we were spinning each other in a spinny chair. We spun and spun and spun, then tried to walk. Sierra was highly amused (as was the rest of us), and so it ended up in here. So yeah.**

**Review? For spinny fun! :D**


	33. Chapter 33

**I forgot to say last update I got to 150 reviews... so thank you!~**

* * *

Sierra sat in the back of the idle truck, waiting impatiently. _I wonder how long it'll take them to get here, _Sierra thought. _Surely the plan's begun by now…. I hope Matt is alright…. Oh… can I do this? I hope I can do this…._

There was the growling of a motorcycle as one pulled up and into the back of the truck, two people onboard. The motorcycle was shut off, and Takada got off and backed up into the corner as Mello removed his anti-Kira helmet.

"Hi," Sierra said in a small voice.

Takada only spared her a single nervous glance.

Mello tossed a box to the ground and said in a firm voice, "Take off everything you're wearing and put it in that."

"So basically you're saying you want me to strip naked right here?" Takada asked, disbelief and tension lacing her tone.

"That's right," Mello responded. "I'm sure you're carrying a tracking device so your bodyguards can find you wherever you are. Unless I have you do this, those guys will be chasing us forever. This delivery truck's forwarding station's nearby. We'll be dumping your things in one of the trucks there."

Sierra swallowed. _Everything's going normally so far…._

Mello impatiently held up his gun and cocked it. "Snap to it, woman!" he ordered. "I'm letting you have this blanket, okay?"

"A-alright," Takada stuttered, glaring at him. So, she did as she was told, putting her belongings and clothing in the box before her. As expected, she asked for the blanket before taking her underwear off, and Mello obliged.

Of course, both Mello and Sierra knew she had a piece of the Death Note hidden in her bra.

Takada, naturally, didn't know they knew.

And soon they were driving away. "And who are you?" asked Takada as the wheels rolled beneath them and the truck rattled with the movement.

"I'm Yui," Sierra greeted. "It's too bad, being here, isn't it?"

She nodded wordlessly, clenching one of her fists.

"But hey," Sierra pointed out, "you're Kiyomi Takada, Kira's spokesperson, right? Surely people are coming to save you. Not for me, though."

"Not for you?" she asked.

"I'm not necessarily known well," Sierra shrugged. "Besides…" – she leaned forward and put her index finger to her lips, lowering her voice – "…I know Light, too, Miss Takada."

She stared at her.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't tell you about me; I'm not important. Less important than Misa Amane." She tilted her head slightly.

Takada glanced up at the window that would show them a view of Mello and the street beyond.

"Don't worry," Sierra shrugged, "he can't hear us, and he isn't listening anyway."

Takada looked back at her silently.

Sierra sighed. "If I had a piece of the Death Note, it would be so much easier," she breathed. "Then Mello would be gone easily. But then, I don't know his name, so…."

Takada's eyes narrowed. "How do I know I can trust you, anyway?"

"Hm, how can I prove it?" Sierra wondered aloud. "Well, I know Light is Kira. I also know he's in a tough position, and not judging with the Note at the moment."

Takada swallowed.

"He says it's someone he calls 'T.' T is the one judging right now. He says he's got a big plan to defeat Near, too, but he won't tell me what it is."

Takada blinked. "Alright…."

"Am I on your side then? Do you believe me?"

"Yes," she said nervously, with a nod, not looking directly at her. She hesitantly opened her fist, revealing the piece of the Death Note she held.

Sierra feigned surprise, staring at the slip of paper. The truck jerked and came to a halt; they'd likely reached the forwarding station. Sierra knew they'd start moving again soon, though. "Is that… a piece of…?"

"Yes," she said with a frown, closing her hand around it protectively.

"Miss Takada," Sierra implored, "can I see that paper? Just… _touch _it?"

"Why?" Takada asked suspiciously, turning her body away from her so the paper was out of sight.

"I just want to hold it for a second. Nothing more. I've touched the Note before, of course. I met Kira's Shinigami. But… I never got to truly see what the paper was _like_."

"It's just like normal paper," Takada said.

"Is it? Can't I just… see it? Hold it for a moment… please."

Takada stared at her guardedly.

"I am, at least, on good terms with Light. Good enough for him to listen if you deny this one little thing. He'd think it silly of you to not trust someone who has proved her loyalty."

"Surely," Takada replied coolly, "he would understand my mistrust."

_Matt is alive, _Mello thought.

Sierra took a deep breath and let it out it slowly in relief. "Perhaps he would," Sierra conceded, "but all I want to do is hold it for a moment. What could I do with it anyway? I have no writing utensil." She held her hands up. "See?"

Takada frowned, then slowly extended her hand to allow Sierra to take the paper.

"Thank you," Sierra murmured, then took the paper tentatively, holding it as though it were more fragile than glass. She examined it carefully, then set it in her lap, leaning forward to stare at it intently.

"Alright," said Takada, raising her voice slightly to show Sierra she wasn't frightened. "Now give it back."

"Of course," Sierra replied, and handed her a different, identical slip of paper, keeping the actual slip of the Death Note behind her bent legs. She hugged her legs again. "It's weird," Sierra commented as Takada examined it to be sure it wasn't tampered with, "it really does look and feel like normal paper."

"Yes," Takada agreed, cautiously standing to peer out the small window.

She slid down to the floor again, taking a deep breath as the truck slowed to a stop. She held her pencil firmly in her hand and began to write.

"What are you doing?" Sierra whispered.

"I'm writing Mello's name," she replied, voice slightly hoarse.

"You know it?"

"Yes." She crinkled the paper in her hand once she was finished.

_Now, _Sierra thought. _She's written your name. _Then, to make sure he heard her, she began repeating herself. _Now. Now. Now. Now. No—_

_Shut up, Yui._

_Got it._

The truck didn't move again, but there was a thump from the front. Takada stood to peer out the window again. She sighed in relief. "Mello's dead," she explained in a small voice, then wandered around the truck and picked up a wrench. She swung it at the window, smashing the glass, then dropped the wrench and reached into where Mello was.

"What are you doing?" Sierra asked.

Takada didn't respond, but pulled her arm out, holding Mello's cell phone.

"Oh…. Are you calling Light?"

She gave a small nod as she dialed the number. Her eyes widened slightly when he answered. "Yagami, I…."

Sierra closed her mouth, keeping silent to allow her to speak. _Hey, Natalie is somewhere on the other end of that line…._

"N…now… without them seeing me… I'm calling on my cell phone I kept secret…. Ya…Yagami, help me."

"Please don't tell him I'm here," Sierra whispered. "I don't want him worrying more than he has to. Besides, you're the first priority."

She glanced at Sierra and nodded. "Al…alright," she said into the phone. "Ki…Kiyomi Takada, born on July twelfth 1985… I work as an announcer for NHN. I'm a spokesman for Kira and I'm on News 9 every day."

Sierra couldn't help but notice that her voice was trembling.

"Yes, I remember," Takada said softly. "…I remember it…. I did just as you told me to…." She crinkled the paper in her hand. "I did it."

_It's not just her voice that's trembling…. _She's _trembling, _Sierra thought.

"I don't know where I am. …I was put in a truck and I was locked in." Takada glanced at Sierra. "There's only a motorcycle here…. Oh… the car drove on an expressway and I saw a sign saying Nagano. Now I'm in a building…. There's a little window in the loading space of the truck I'm locked in. I can only see the inside of the building…."

Takada's eyes were wide as she spoke. _She's scared, _Sierra thought. _She's afraid…._

"Yes… I was stripped naked, but I didn't resist and… I put survival first… like you once told me…. Then I had a chance to call, and now I'm calling you…. …I know, just as you instructed me, I don't make a bad move and wait for your help…. …Oh… the lookout is coming…. I have to hang up…." She clicked a button and stared at her phone for a moment.

Sierra gazed at Takada sympathetically. _I feel so bad for her…. I'm sorry, Takada…. _"Is there any way I can help? Make you feel better?" she asked softly.

Takada shook her head as her eyes narrowed in determination. She pulled the blanket tighter around herself, then called another person. "…It's me…," she said after a few moments of waiting. "Please judge as much as you can."

_And she's calling Mikami now…._

Sierra waited patiently. Soon Takada was scribbling names down onto the fake page in earnest as Sierra sat with her arms wrapped her legs in the shadows. There came a time, however, when Takada stopped short in the middle of a name. She began to tremble, and brought her blanket tighter around her. "K-kill… me…," she murmured.

Sierra blinked.

A sudden calm came over Takada as she got to her feet evenly, her face serene as the pencil and paper slipped from her fingers. She looked around, then slowly bent down and picked up a large piece of broken glass. She took a deep breath and held the glass up.

"Takada," said Sierra in alarm, "don't—"

She drove the shard into her chest in one swift movement, and she stood there, stiff and unmoving, before collapsing and going limp. Her blood stained the blanket red; her eyes were wide open.

_Takada's dead, _Sierra thought, staring at her with wide eyes, horrified. _Oh, poor Takada…._

_She deserved to die anyway, _thought Mello as Sierra heard the door of the truck open and shut. _Get over it. _ Sierra squinted in the light as Mello lifted the opening to the back of the truck. He walked in, snatched his cell phone away from Takada's corpse, then walked away and gestured for Sierra to come out. She obliged, grabbing the page of the Death Note along with the fake paper, stuffing the pages in her jacket pocket, and jumping to her feet to join him. "Alright, help me get the fake bodies, and I can write the names of the criminals that are supposed to die after we get out of here."

"Yep, I remember," she responded.

"And then," Mello said with a hint of a smirk, "we can set this place on _fire_."

* * *

I twiddled my thumbs nervously in the backseat of the car I sat in. Light, who sat beside me, had a pensive look on his face as he clicked open the hidden the compartment in his watch to kill Takada. _Oh! _I thought. _Sierra's with Mello… and if she's with Mello, won't she die? No… the Death Note can't cause the death of another, just one person at a time. Takada wouldn't be able to set the building on fire if Sierra's there because it would kill her too…. But, if she's with Matt, she'd be killed, wouldn't she? Oh…._

Then it occurred to me Light was right beside me, and my mind went utterly silent. And silent it was, save for the occasional remark from Ide or Aizawa in the front. I swallowed, waiting for time to pass, hoping we wouldn't come to a building in flames. Absolute silence. The humming of the car as it accelerated forward, the _whoosh _of cars passing in the opposite direction, the steady beating of my heart….

_Mikami! _Light thought in alarm.

I blinked, surprised, glancing at him. _He didn't realize Mikami's mistake, did he? _the back of my mind wondered. _What about him, Light? _I thought openly.

_Damn it…, _he growled. _Nothing, Natalie…. Ignore me. My mind was wandering, that's all._

_You seem pretty angry for a simple wandering of the mind._

_True, but it was an irritating thought. Sorry about that._

His reassurance in such calm, not-angry tones made me relax slightly. Until, of course, we reached the building Takada was in. The abandoned church was ablaze; alight with reds, oranges, and yellows. "…What happened here…?" Aizawa murmured, shocked.

_Surely Sierra's fine, _I thought, staring at the fire. _Matt and Mello are dead now, but surely Sierra is okay…._

* * *

L and Anna sat idly in the hotel room we called home, long after I had left for HQ the next day. "So…" said Anna, "the whole Takada thing happened, and now Matt and Mello are dead?"

L stared at her intently.

"Stop it; that's creepy," Anna frowned.

"In answer to your question, yes and no. Takada was kidnapped, and she is most likely dead, but Matt and Mello I assume to be alive."

"What?" Anna asked. "Really? How?"

L did not answer the question. "Michiyo, give me your cell phone," he said. Anna handed him her cell phone. "Do not tell Natsumi that Matt and Mello are alive. Also, do not say what I am about to say to Yui…." He paused. "This is Leonard," he said into the phone.

Anna leaned forward, interested.

"I assume Matt and Mello are alive, correct? …Good. Do you know where you are? …Yes, that's fine. …Tell both of them about the meeting between the SPK and the Japanese Kira investigation team at the Yellow Box warehouse on Daikoku wharf. The meeting will take place on January twenty-eighth at one o'clock pm. …No, tell them they can break in after the showdown is over. Let's say… at the time Near makes a mistake. Once something abnormal, out of the scope of Near's plans, happens. How they get in doesn't matter, but tell them to make sure not to come into contact with anyone until they enter. If they ask where you got the information, say you already knew, or that your aunt, who is on the Japanese Kira investigation team, told you. …Yes. Thank you. Goodbye." He flipped the cell phone shut.

"So they're going to the Yellow Box warehouse?" Anna asked.

"Yes." The ghost of a smile slipped into his features. "However, Michiyo, so are we."

* * *

"January twenty-eighth," Sierra said, "at one pm. The SPK and the Japanese task force will be meeting at the Yellow Box warehouse on Daikoku wharf."

"January twenty-eighth?" Matt asked in a slightly pained tone as he unwrapped his leg to replace the bandages. Despite his lack of fatal injuries, he still had a few bruised ribs and a gunshot to the leg, along with two gunshots in his right arm. "Isn't that _tomorrow_?"

"Yes," Mello said, and frowned. "Near's getting to him first…."

"But wait!" Sierra said. "Near is going to make a mistake. Something will happen outside the scope of his plans, and that's when we come in."

"And what do we do?" asked Matt.

Sierra shrugged. "Whatever the situation calls for. I'm not entirely sure what's going to go wrong, so…."

Mello got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" asked Sierra.

"Matt," said Mello, "you look up the Yellow Box warehouse on the computer once you replace your bandages; see what it looks like so we find a good way in. I, on the other hand, will get some supplies. Once you find it, call me and give me the details."

"Got it," Matt replied, taking fresh bandages and wrapping them tightly around his shot leg. He pulled his pant leg down and smirked. "This'll be interesting."

"Oh boy!" Sierra squeaked.

* * *

The night of the twenty-seventh, I had horrible dreams circling around Light's death. Perhaps it was because I had to read and reread the last few chapters until I had it memorized, burned into my mind, but for whatever reason I kept seeing that ending scene, over and over. I slept fitfully, and to be honest, I was only half asleep throughout the whole thing. I'm sure L, who was always awake, noticed my restlessness, but he made no comment. Then, when I finally fell into an uneasy sleep, I had the strangest dream….

_It was blank. All white. I saw only white. I couldn't tell where the ground ended and the sky began, if, in fact, there was anything that separated the two. The ground felt solid enough, though, so I was pretty sure I wasn't floating. The light came from everywhere, so I cast no shadow. It made it all the more surreal._

_I walked forward, unsure of what else I could possibly do. My footsteps made no sound, the world was soundless and still, save for the unintelligible whispers I heard wafting around me, with no direction. Then, as I walked, out of the white void appeared a figure. Glad to have found something other than blankness, I ran towards the thing. In a world all white, one loses their sense of direction unless they have a point of reference. That figure was my point of reference. I found it odd, though, when I drew close to the figure and recognized it._

_It was Light, sitting intently on the ground with his wrists in chains. _He's chained to… what?_ I wondered._

_He must have heard the thought, though, as he turned to look at me, confusion clouding his eyes. _His eyes_, I noted. _They… they're innocent. He isn't corrupted here.

"_Corrupted?" he asked. "What do you mean?"_

_His voice in this blank, utterly silent world seemed so loud. It broke the quietness, yet once he finished speaking, the silence blanketed the two of us once more, the wandering whispers ever-present. "Never mind," I said softly. I found it hard to speak loudly in such a quiet setting. I subconsciously thought that the silence wasn't meant to be broken. "What are those chains?" I asked, trying to raise my voice to a normal volume._

"_Chains?" he asked. "What chains?"_

"_The chains… on your wrists, Light. Don't you see the chains?"_

_He gazed at me curiously. "I don't see any chains. I don't feel them, either. What are you talking about?"_

_I shook my head. "What is this place?"_

"_I'm not sure," he replied. "Perhaps it's something of a subconscious."_

"_Your subconscious?"_

"_Maybe."_

Alright then…,_ I thought. _He doesn't know he's chained to something or other, and he's innocent. I wonder, is the him before he picked up the Death Note?

"_Of course the answer to that is no," Light told me. "That notebook is what gives me the ability to make the world a better place." He breathed a sigh. "To create the perfect world, ending crime and hate…. The faultless utopia, where the good souls thrive and prosper, and don't suffer as they do now. To rebuild the rotten world we know with peace and virtuous people." He held open his hands and stared down at them. "Then the world will finally move in the right direction. Justice will finally overtake evil for good." He looked up at me. "Haven't you ever noticed that many people want to change the world, but no one has the will to risk their lives and try? That's why… that's why I have to do what I do…. Only I can…." He looked back down at his closed hands. "I know killing isn't right. I know it's wrong. But it's because I'm using the power to kill correctly that I am, at least, worthy." He looked up to what would be the sky. "And I, unlike many, am willing to sacrifice my mind and soul to be able to correct the wrongs of the world and make everything right. I'm disposed to creating an ideal world…. The New World." He relaxed, then looked at me. "Can you understand that?"_

_I blinked, and nodded. Darkness started creeping in at the edges of my vision._

_Light smiled. "Nice seeing you, anyway, Natsumi. Tomorrow's a big day."_

_And darkness consumed both him and the white world we conversed in._

I opened my eyes to find it was already morning.

* * *

**Well, next week the last chapter's coming out... Really, it's just the warehouse scene; I wonder how it'll go this time, haha.**

_**Fun Fact**_**: Sam mentioned that Mikami was her cousin, and that he was dating my/Natalie's mom. That was based on something in reality... Okay, see, we have this thing called the Basket of Doom, and in this basket we have many slips of paper with names of characters on them. Mikami was her cousin. And BB was her father. :3 Then one day, an unknown caller called, and I declared that person to be Mikami. It ended up being my mom's boyfriend. So there we are~**

**...Yeah.**

**Review? For Matt and Mello being alive! :D**


	34. Chapter 34

**Last chapter... Oh my god...**

**Okay, I'm gonna say this now and hope you read this. I'm really sorry, but that canon is back. The canon; the dreaded _canon_. Unfortunately, you'll find that much of this chapter is the plain old warehouse scene with a difference here and there. (But some of the differences are important, so...) My point is, I'm sorry if the _epic, amazing, finale-like _last chapter ends up irking you and not being what you expected in that respect... sorry. I'm actually rather unhappy with this scene. Though I kept a lot of what's in here mostly just to keep the same feeling of suspense.**

**...Yeah.**

**Long chapter is long. o-o**

**Aaand... todays my mom's birthday. :D Soo... the epilogue and first chapter will be put out tomorrow, as it turns out. Good thing, yes? :D**

**I hope you like it?**

* * *

I swallowed hard as Aizawa and Matsuda made their way back to the car. "Well," he said, "it's no doubt that it's Near and his men who are in there." I breathed deep, calming breaths as we all exited the car and made our way into the Yellow Box warehouse. It looked so horribly familiar with its faded yellow walls and chipped paint, a single doorway along the wall we were facing. Upon filing into the abaondoned building, my group turned to the right, then turned to face the SPK at our left. The door closed behind us, leaving us all in only a dim glow. As I gazed across the small expanse of bare floor to the next group, I noticed that Sam was standing among them. She gave me a small wave, and I forced a small smile in acknowledgement. Near, was, of course, wearing the L mask. Matsuda blinked, looking at Sam oddly. "Isn't that Sayuri?" he asked confusedly, but Aizawa nudged him. Matsuda took the hint, and was silent. It was incredibly silent, actually. Even the chattering at the back of my mind had quieted. That wasn't normal.

"L…" explained Aizawa, "those five people are the SPK…. The one wearing the mask is Near, there's no mistaking it."

_I would vouch for them, too, but I'm not supposed to know what they look like…._ I absently wondered what would happen if I started claiming I knew all of them. That would be interesting, wouldn't it? And maybe it would set back Light's death a bit... What if I just caused a whole bunch of confusion, what would happen? _Light would tell me to calm down, and it would do nothing but lose people's trust in me, _I thought with a small sigh. _And then it would be even harder to stop everything from happening if things started getting out of hand..._

"B-but I can't accept this!" Matsuda exclaimed. "You freely accuse someone of being Kira…. The sole person wearing a mask is you! How selfish can you be?!"

"Matsuda, calm down," I said softly, and Sam jumped as though I had snapped her out of a daydream. She probably hadn't expected to hear my voice. "It can't be helped. He thinks Light is Kira."

"But he himself is the one who shamelessly asked to meet us!" Matsuda countered.

In any other situation, I would have been silently proud of tuning back into reality and responding so quickly. But this wasn't any other situation... this was the warehouse, after all.

"This mask is a precaution," said Near simply. Ah, missed a few sentences there. It didn't matter; I had this scene memorized anyhow...

"A precaution?" Matsuda asked confusedly.

"He believes Kira and the Kira judging now haven't seen his face," I clarified. "Everyone else's faces, however, were probably seen. Three days ago the time and place were decided, so it's possible everyone but him could die at any moment." I looked at Near. "Is that right?"

"That is correct," Near replied.

"Meh," Sam muttered under her breath.

_Don't worry, Sam, I only remember 'cause I memorized this whole damn scene…._

"…With Kira free to write my name in the notebook Mr. Aizawa has now, and get rid of me," Near added. I missed the first half of his sentence; oh well. I knew what he said. "Although, in accordance with my judgment… the Kira here now shouldn't be able to kill people with only their face…. That's why, for one hour… no, for thirty minutes, I would like you to allow me to see if anyone here is being manipulated and dies."

"Wh-what the hell?!" Matsuda yelped. "We're waiting to see if we don't die?!"

Sam snorted.

My mind started thinking of other situations again. _But what __if I blurted Near's name the moment he took of the mask? He would suspect me of having the shinigami eyes and then Near would have to rethink his plan. And... But then the warehouse scene would no longer be credible. He'd come up with a new, unpredictable plan that I can't foresee, and Light would probably die. Or Near would. And neither situation is a good thing._

"...I can't show you until I take off my mask," said Near.

"You can't show us what it is if you don't take off your mask, but you're not taking off your mask?!" Matsuda cried. "Aren't you contradicting yourself?!"

"You contradict yourself all the time, Matsuda," I replied quietly. "Besides, he means he'll take off his mask once he knows everyone is safe, then show us. Is that right, Near?"

"Yes," Near replied.

Sam frowned at me.

You know, I think I was starting to make a good impression upon Near. That was nice. I think.

So, we waited. Somewhere along the way, there was an odd clank on the roof, but only Sam and Matsuda paid any mind to it. Those two were probably the most impatient, though as time went on, I grew more and more tense, apprehensive for the events to come. _Not much longer now…, _I thought.

"Near, hasn't it been half an hour?" asked Sam.

"Near, it's been _over _thirty minutes and nothing has happened!" said Matsuda.

"Of course that's the case, because Kira is not here, among us," said Light.

"Of course not…," Sam muttered in an undertone, her voice full of sarcasm.

"Alright," agreed Near, putting his hand to the mask, "everyone seems to be okay. I'll take off my mask now." He pulled the mask away from his face, looked at Light, and smiled his creepy smile.

_First time seeing Near, _I thought. _And first time seeing his freaky smile._

"Well," said Matsuda, frustrated, "there you have it; you took off your mask. Now, what were you gonna show us?!"

"Matsuda, stop being pushy," Ide frowned.

"Matsuda," I whispered, "why are you so irritable today…?"

"Huh?" Matsuda responded, looking at me.

"I'm sorry," said Near, "please wait just a while longer."

Sam rolled her eyes.

"Wait again?!" Matsuda yelled, his attention immediately going back to the little albino. "What are we waiting for?!"

"Come on, Matsuda, he was even polite!" I reprimanded.

"We're waiting for the one who will complete our circle to come," Near smiled.

"The one that will complete the circle?" asked Ide.

"I feel like were talking about this circle of some creepy ritual. Are we bringing L back to life?" Sam asked brightly.

"Um," said Matsuda.

Near frowned, his expression dull. "No, Sam."

"He means the one judging now," I said. "The Kira working under Kira is coming, I'd think," I said.

"Exactly," said Near. "He will definitely come, and we are waiting for him."

"That didn't sound creepy," Sam remarked.

Near glanced at her, slightly irritated, and continued, "This building is a sealed room and only by opening that door can someone see inside. For sure, he'll come through the door… or, at least, try to peep in from it."

Sam giggled, probably at the idea of Mikami just sort of peeking in through a crack in the door. Which was actually exactly what he was going to do.

I closed my eyes and waited, breathing deeply. _L's plan will work, _I thought. _L's plan will work. No one will die here. I was able to fit an apple in either pocket of my overcoat, so I have two apples…. It's better than none…. _I became aware of Ryuk, who floated silently in the background, always grinning. Nothing new there.

I snapped back to reality with a "Wait, Near!" from Aizawa.

"What is it?" asked Near dully.

"If this X-Kira kills you, it's obvious he'll kill every one of us here, as we all know about the notebook."

_Except for Kira himself, Sam, and me. Sam and I can't die because of the notebook, after all. I wonder what he'd do with us, if he were to succeed. What then, make us all prisoners? What about L? Would that battle start all over again?_

"I don't understand…," Matsuda said weakly, eyes wide in panic. "Exactly what is he saying? That this third person will come with the notebook to kill us?"

"And we'll just sit back and watch?!" Ide yelled in disbelief.

"Yes," Near confirmed.

"You must be joking!" Ide cried.

"Guys, hush," I said calmly. "Near wouldn't be doing such a stupid move unless there was a plan behind it. Just do as he says. He's got it covered."

"Yes," agreed Near, "if you do as I tell you, we will win for sure. Listen, when this person comes through the door, only greet him. And if the door opens only slightly, just pretend you didn't notice it."

"Always trust strangers," Sam grinned.

"That's ridiculous!" Ide protested.

"I understand your concern," I said coolly, "but do you really think Near would put lives at stake, including his _own _life, mind you, if he wasn't completely sure we'd all be safe? This guy is smart; he's the successor to the great L. And I know, Ide, that you didn't trust L either, but you have to give him some credit, alright? Besides, even L wouldn't throw his life away."

"But L still died!" Ide exclaimed.

_Ha._

"He's already here," said Near.

Everyone looked to the only door in the vicinity to see there was a small crack that shed light into the dimly-lit room. In the crack, a single eye shown. Then the shadow disappeared, and there was a faint scribbling sound. I swear I even heard him mutter "_Delete!_" in an undertone. I couldn't help but smile ever so slightly. Oh, Mikami…. _Sakujo_. Haha….

"Th-this is bad, you guys!" Matsuda cried, pulling out his gun. "If our names are really being written this very moment… then we needlessly…!"

"Please, don't move!" commanded Rester as he and Gevanni pulled out their guns and pointed them at Matsuda.

"Gevanni is so badass," Sam mumbled.

"You don't need to threaten him with a gun…," I muttered.

Matsuda stopped short and stared at them, mouth open. "Wha…what kind of stupid…?"

"It's okay," Near assured us. "We won't die; please stay where you are. It's fine. Even if your name is being written down, you won't die. And with this, the shadow over Kira will be unveiled."

"Tada…," Sam sang in a low voice.

"And how can… you say we won't die, Near?" asked Aizawa, trying to keep calm.

_Yes, Near, _I thought dully. _Explain that you tampered with the notebook. _I listened quietly as he specified that Mikami only wrote a page a day and all that good stuff. And Aizawa and Matsuda would act surprised as Mikami kept on writing all of our names. I wondered vaguely if Mikami was wondering why Sam and my lifespans were whack. I mean, here was everyone else with perfectly good lifespans, and then there was me and Sam, with these inconsistent things. Haha, we're abnormal. At least our names didn't change randomly. Then he'd be really thrown off...

"...At that point, we will seize the notebook," Near elucidated. "The person whose name's not in it is Kira."

"C-certainly the one whose name isn't written down would be Kira, but…," said Aizawa.

"Bu…but…," Ide stuttered, searching for words.

I took a deep breath. _It's coming soon, _I thought. _Here it comes…._

"Whoever's outside," said Light, "are you done writing down the names?"

"Yes, I am," came a voice from outside.

Well, it seemed that's what dear old Mikami sounded like with his Japanese voice in English…. If that makes sense. At least our weird ears didn't make everyone sound like the English dub…. That would be horrible.

"Huh…?" asked Matsuda faintly. "Then that means we're all doomed."

I couldn't help myself. I laughed.

"Why are you laughing?!" Matsuda cried, his voice much higher pitched than normal.

"Just the way you said that, sorry," I grinned apologetically.

"Jeez, Natsumi," Sam scoffed.

I frowned at her. She was the one who was joking around throughout.

"That… that _is _Sayuri, isn't it?" Matsuda asked weakly. He laughed nervously.

"Teru Mikami, if you don't mind, would you come in please?" asked Near kindly. There was a pause. "Teru Mikami, I know you're taking over Kira's judgments now. If you wrote down the names, there's nothing to fear, is there? Here, please come in. Or, you at least want to join with Kira, don't you?"

"Teru Mikami?" Light asked. There wasn't a single hint of a smile on his face. "It's alright. Come in."

Mikami slid open the door with a manic grin.

"Mikami!" Sam squeaked quietly.

Gevanni shot her a quick look.

"God, at your command," Mikami beamed, his face alight with slightly insane joy.

I gazed at him without expression. This was all just the same as L's death had been, those years ago. It was that same sort of tense calmness…. No. It was a tense sort of anxiety this time. Perhaps it was because it wasn't a decoy acting as Light. Light was seriously at risk here, and if one thing went wrong, he would end up dead….

"How long has it been since you've written our names?" Light asked coolly.

Mikami looked at his watch, his face twisted into a smile. "Thirty-five… thirty-six… thirty-seven… thirty-eight… thirty-nine…."

Light and Near smiled at one another intently.

"Forty!" Mikami exclaimed.

Matsuda held his head in his hands (as if that would help...); Ide cringed; everyone but Light, Near, Sam and I tensed in preparation, in case we did, in fact, die. There was a fleeting moment when I actually thought Light's plan had worked, that everyone but Sam, Light and I would die, but that instant disappeared when a few seconds passed and nothing happened. "We… we didn't die," Matsuda said in disbelief. "One minute passed… and we didn't die."

"That's _sixty _seconds, Matsuda," I mumbled.

"Which is why I said we wouldn't, many times over," Near replied calmly, as if that whole scene hadn't just happened. I thought about how calm he was in his confidence. I thought that maybe I'd like to have seen his face if he'd lost. How'd he react, I wondered? Then I realized what I was thinking, and mentally asked what the hell was wrong with that thought right there.

"Why won't they die…?" Mikami murmured, trembling all over. "Go…God, I… I only did as you wished…," Mikami insisted, his smile having been replaced with a horror-stricken frown.

"Oh noes…," Sam breathed, smiling ever so slightly.

Light merely raised an eyebrow at him, looking at him questioningly.

"Rester, Gevanni, detain Mikami…," said Near.

"Okay," Gevanni agreed as the two made their way over to Mikami to handcuff him.

"Gh…God…!" Mikami cried as his wrists were bound.

"Poor Mikami," Sam sighed.

"Gevanni," said Near, "hand me the notebook."

Gevanni picked the notebook up off of the ground and handed it to Near.

"Everyone, please confirm this with your own eyes," said Near, holding it up for all to see. "The first five names are, without a doubt, the SPK members' real names. And… the only one here without his name written down is Light Yagami. Mikami called you 'God' and said he did as you said. It's settled."

"Yay!" Sam cheered.

I shot her a quick glare.

Light's eyes narrowed. I felt no shock from him, or fear, or anger. I felt nothing; even the incessant chattering in the back of my mind was gone. "This must be some sort of trick," he said calmly.

_He's supposed to freak out here, _I thought, vaguely confused.

"A trap of some sort. Right? Something _Near _devised to frame _me_." His voice kept rising in volume as he went on. "It must be a trap. I'm not Kira, you all know that. Don't you think it to be odd that all of your names were written and _none _of you _died_?! It has to be a trap!"

"I told you that I modified it so we wouldn't die, didn't I?" Near asked.

"But this makes no sense!" Light cried. "I don't even know him!" He gestured to Mikami.

Mikami stared at him, then bowed his head in defeat and depression.

"Light," Aizawa said firmly, grasping his shoulder. "It's already too late; Near won."

"Light…," Matsuda whispered, eyes wide. He fell to his knees. "Why…?"

"Matsuda," I said lightly, heading to him as Mogi walked over to us from the SPK. What else could I do in this scene, anyhow? Nothing but wait, and listen, and comfort poor Matsuda. I wondered what would happen if I stopped Matsuda from ever shooting Light... Near would die, wouldn't he? Ah, well, that wouldn't work...

Mogi took out handcuffs intended for Light, and Light's eyes widened as he backed away. "Stop," he said firmly. "No; I'm not a criminal."

Mogi stepped closer and began putting the handcuffs on Light. Light took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for something, then let out a yell. "_Stop it!_" he demanded, smacking Mogi's hands away and running to that oh-so-memorable wall of his. He looked back at everyone.

"We get it, Light," Sam mumbled with a smirk. "It's your wall."

"Light Yagami…," said Near. "L…. Kira…. You lose."

"I just lost The Game!" Sam cried.

She was ignored. "Originally, you had won. And I had lost." So, Near began laying out how everything had happened. Why he'd won. Explained how Mello had saved all their lives in doing what he did. Clarified how Mikami had messed up Light's perfect plan. Described how close Light was to defeating him. Light remained stone-faced throughout Near's explanation, eyes narrowed.

_His expression should be changing much more than this, _I noted. _Was he expecting this? No, that couldn't be it…. _I frowned. _And why can't I hear his thoughts or feel his emotions? Is something going on? _I shook my head and ignored it, preparing myself for the act I'd have to pull not long from now.

Yes… I was back in the play again… but now I played an important part. If I forgot my cue, or slipped up, it would end in a not-so-happy ending. I'm sure Near wouldn't mind, and Sam wouldn't really care, but….

"Together we can stand with L," said Near, holding up his Mello, Near, and L finger puppets. "Together we can surpass L. And now… the Kira who L was not able to bring up any evidence against…the Kira L lost to… we have concrete evidence on!" He paused. "If you can talk your way out of this, please do."

Light scowled and closed his eyes. Another sign of preparation. But by this point, I didn't even notice that his actions had careful precision. Light let out a yell, and curled up on the ground with a _thud_, trembling. And as he lay, curled there in the silence as we waited for his counterattack, his rebuke, he began to laugh. It built until he flung himself to kneel upright, laughing and laughing because it was the only thing he _could _do. Everyone was staring at him, though Aizawa glanced back at me, likely remembering the laugh I'd shown them not all that long ago.

Ha.

Light slowly got to his feet as his laughter subsided. "That's right," he said darkly, his lips curled into a smile. "_I am Kira_."

Near smiled. The entire Kira investigation team, minus me, was gaping at him, shocked.

"In that case," Light smiled sweetly, "what will you do?" He tilted his head towards them. "_Kill me here?_"

Sam squealed. "It's the kitty face!" she exclaimed. "It's so _cute!_"

Even I ignored her that time.

And Light's long speech was told…. It was here that I allowed myself to relax ever so slightly. I knew it would last, and oh, how it made for an odd sort of entertainment. His ideas… they'd started out so pure….

"Listen," Light said, ignoring Sam. "I am Kira. You hear me, Near? You're smiling; am I making you happy? _I'm Kira_. And also… God of the New World. Don't you know? Right now, Kira is law. I'm doing nothing but preserving the order. It's reality. At this point, Kira is the icon of righteousness. Kira is the people's – all of mankind's – _hope_. Are you going to kill me?" he asked, spreading his arms wide. "Is that the right thing? In the past, perhaps catching Kira would be an act of justice, but the people's will has changed. Or maybe you just personally want to catch Kira, so you're satisfied? Kira appeared six whole years ago. World crime has been reduced by seventy percent, all brutal crimes have nearly died, and war no longer exists. However….

"The world is still rotten. The world needs to be rid of all the despicable people. Humans pursue happiness, and they have the right to pursue that, but there are the few spoiled people who cut that pursuit short."

I noticed, as I listened, that his speech had similarities to the speech the Light in his subconscious made. His subconscious. Was that really what that was, last night? Not that it mattered at this point….

"When I picked that notebook up… no… before that… humanity had reached rock bottom. Couldn't you see it? The human race was as rotten as could be. Looking at it closely, even though there are people looking to become happy, certifying whether they're with or without harm… or if their life has value or not… evil only makes more evil. The evil people of the world cause these evil deeds, and the weak people will learn from them and eventually change their perspective to believe that it's okay…."

I took a deep breath, and sighed. My eyes were narrowed in sympathy. Not for those he killed, or for Matsuda and the others, but for Light himself. And through this, I would stay utterly silent as he gave his monologue. _This is his last speech as Kira, _I thought, _whether this plan works or not_. You know, I was actually savoring this speech. I knew that soon after it, the plan would take place, and for once I wasn't looking forward to it because I was afraid it wouldn't work…. And then I'd just be heading for death….

"A rotten world… justice… politics… education… what makes this world right? Yet someone has to…. When I first picked up that notebook, I realized… I had to do it… no… _only _I could do it. I knew killing was a crime, but I also knew it was the only way I could make things right. I figured out that over time people would come to realize this as well, and see my actions as an act of justice. I had no choice but to be Kira. It was _destiny_. I was chosen to bring about a New World, with peace – a utopia!"

I knew his speech was long, but I didn't mind that…. He was buying time, really. Truthfully, I wanted this time too. And throughout it all, I didn't zone out even once. I remained at a high sense of alertness as I anticipated what I knew was to come. All of this was happening too quickly. Thinking back, where had the beginning gone? When I first met Light? When I first got on the task force? Back when I had just saved L? God, how time can fly….

"Only I can do this…. To create a New World…. Standing at the top. Guiding them along the right path. Only I can do it…." He looked at Near. "Think about it. Do you want to return to a rotten world? Even you should understand. There are people in this world that we are obviously better off without. If it's justified to kill harmful pests… then why is it wrong if I kill harmful people? Is it really best to destroy Kira here? Will it really be beneficial to the world? What will come from arresting me here? Isn't it serving only to satisfy yourself? Isn't it just for the sake of your own ego? If you claim that it is to avenge L's death…" - Light smirked - "...then that is an act of folly. What you see before you is Kira… and also… the god of this New World."

Sam rolled her eyes.

"No," said Near simply. "You… are just a murderer."

_And Near talks, _I thought, _and he gives his own speech…. Then the moment he finishes, Light begins walking away… he tries to kill Near… and Matsuda shoots him…._

Near picked up the Kira finger puppet. "To speak of extremes… I can actually understand who would use this notebook for their personal interests and kill a couple of people, and even think that they're normal. But you have yielded to the power of the notebook and shinigami and have confused yourself with a god."

Sam let out a little laugh.

"You're just a crazy mass murderer."

Sam giggled.

"Nothing more."

Near squished the Kira puppet, making a squishing sound and thus causing Sam to giggle again.

"Nothing less."

I frowned at Sam, then glanced at Near. I didn't care as much to hear his ideologies. Now all there was left to listen to these ideas, and everything would suddenly speed up….

"And anyone who claims they're a god and kills people from left to right is definitely evil by my standards. But what do the other people here, besides you and me, feel is righteous…?"

There was a long pause.

Sam coughed.

"Near," Light said. "You first thought the fake notebook made by Mikami was the real one, and replaced the pages in it. And Mikami had the fake notebook that you made."

I braced myself. Now it would begin….

"In other words, both notebooks turned out to be fake, when both sides believed them to be real. And the mistake made by both sides is that they didn't test the notebook to see if it was real or not. So, how can you be sure that the notebooks here are real?" He began walking away calmly from his special wall.

I breathed a tight sigh. My heartbeat was starting to speed up.

"The two notebooks here… are they real?"

I shut my eyes tight.

"You see Ryuk, so we'll say the one you have is real, but what about the Note strapped to Aizawa?"

I breathed deeply.

"I could have switched it."

There was a clang on the roof.

"And if I did, only I would know where it is…."

There was an unidentifiable sound from right outside the door.

"So you should probably write mine or Mikami's name in Aizawa's notebook to make sure it's real."

I opened my eyes again.

"Light Yagami… Kira… I have no plans to kill you," said Near.

I gazed at Light, face emotionless.

"I really don't care if the notebook is real or not anymore."

_The plan will work, _I thought. _This plan _has _to work…._

"From the very beginning, my goal was to capture Kira. All I want is for everything to become clear and for Kira to be captured."

_L is amazing, his plan _has _to work. _I tried not to think of what might happen if L had purposely not come up with the perfect plan simply because it was _Light, _and I knew all too well he didn't like Light all that much...

"You're as good as arrested now, and I will confiscate the notebook Mr. Aizawa has. That is enough for now."

_It's up to me…. I can do this…. I'm not screwing up again…._

"And I will not announce Kira's arrest or the existence of the notebook to the public."

_Light won't die here…._

"I believe that everybody here can keep that secret."

I swallowed hard.

"I'll take full responsibility of putting you in a place where no one will find you until you die."

My thoughts began churning with the clear memory of the way he would die if things didn't go correctly. _If this is real, he'll actually be dying, too…. This is no TV show anymore. …I feel sick…._

"Well," said Light, walking away from them with a shrug, "whether it's real or fake, don't you think it's a good idea just to take a look at it?"

_I'm getting worked up about his death again…._

"If that notebook is real…."

I bit my lip.

"…or fake…." Suddenly Light was bent over, writing into the hidden note in his watch.

"_He's got a note on him!_" Rester exclaimed.

A gunshot was fired.

My entire being tensed up. I stopped breathing for a moment.

Light dropped his pen, then fell on his hands and knees, clutching his wrist.

"Light…," Sam said hesitantly. "You have a watermelon butt…."

"Matsuda…," Light growled, ignoring her, then got to his feet. "_Matsuda, you idiot,_" he spat. (Wasn't he supposed to freak out a bit more here?) "Who do you think you're shooting?" he asked him, his tone venomous. "_Damn you._ If you're going to shoot someone, shoot the others! What do you think you're doing?!" Light held his hand, now dripping blood, tenderly. "Matsuda…! I thought you were the only person who understood me! Kira is righteous! Kira is needed! Shoot! Shoot Near, the SPK members, Aizawa and the others!" (Alright, now he sounded like he should….)

I saw tears trickle down Matsuda's cheeks.

My breathing came a little harder.

"Wh-what was it all for?" Matsuda asked. "The chie—no… the deputy director… Deputy Director Yagami…. He was your father…. What did your father die for?"

"Dad?" Light asked. "You mean Soichiro Yagami? Yes, Matsuda. Overly earnest people like him with a strong sense of justice always end up the loser. Do you want a world where people like him are always made fools of?"

"_You _drove your father to his death. And now you're trying to change the subject by telling me that he was made a fool…."

_Oh…, _I though, tugging at my shirt collar uncomfortably, worry gnawing at my chest.

"A society," said Light, "a world where people like my father don't have to be made into fools…. Soichiro Yagami died to create that. I'm telling you to kill the others so that his death was not in vain! Can't you understand me?"

When there was only silence in reply, Light began using his blood to write Near's name on the paper. "He's using his blood!" said Aizawa urgently.

Two more gunshots.

Light fell to the ground.

Sam cowered behind Gevanni, closing her eyes in fear. She always was afraid of an angry Matsuda, ever since she watched this scene...

My concern spilled over. "_Matsuda!_" I cried, running at him to stop him from going further. "Stop it, Matsuda, you'll kill him!"

"I _have_ to kill him," Matsuda replied angrily, aiming for Light's head. "This guy has to die!"

"_Stop!_" I howled, grabbing him by the waist and pulling him away from Light. "Matsuda," I growled, "You supposed to be the _nice one_!"

His gunshot missed, hitting Light's special wall and ricocheting into the floor. The sound rang throughout the warehouse. "Natsumi!" yelled Aizawa in alarm as Ide cried out, "Matsuda!"

Mogi and Ide rushed forward to help restrain Matsuda, and Aizawa took the gun away from him. I relaxed as Matsuda went limp, the spur of the moment over.

Light rolled over painfully, propping himself up on his elbow. "Mikami!" he commanded as he tried to push himself upright with his hands. "What are you doing, standing there like a fool? Help me! Write their names down! _Kill them!_ Kill them… that's your job… what are you doing?!"

Mikami's face twisted in anguish. "How could I write their names down… in a situation like this… and with a fake notebook…?" He pursed his lips then bellowed. "_You're not God!_ What the hell is this?!" he cried. "Look what you've gotten me into. You're no god, you're just… _scum_."

"Damn you!" Light hissed in pain.

"Since he had that piece carefully hidden in his watch, he probably doesn't have any more," commented Near.

"Mogi; Ide," said Aizawa firmly. "Help me arrest Kira, Light Yagami, the mass murderer."

"Yes," Mogi and Ide replied in unison.

"Stop it!" Light cried. "_Don't come near me!_" He began trying to drag himself away from them.

I stood, slightly detached from the others, silent as I watched Light suffer.

"M-Misa…," Light breathed. "Where's Misa?!"

"Misa Amane is at the Teito hotel right now," Near replied calmly.

"Hotel?" Light asked. "What is that idiot doing at a time like this? Takada…. Where's Takada…? Kill them…. Write their names down…."

I watched him with a pained expression.

"Kiyomi Takada is dead," Near explained.

"Dead?!" Light cried, writhing as he made his way forward. "S-somebody…. Anybody…. Somebody kill these guys…."

"Near," said Rester quietly. "It's over at last."

"Yes," Near agreed.

However… even Sam was sobered by the scene before her.

"Light, think a moment," I said. "At least think."

His eyes flashed, and he twisted his body around to stare at me. With a new energy, he dragged himself towards me, a hopeful grin on his face. "Natalie…!" he said. "Natalie, you still have that piece of the Note! You can kill them! Kill them for me!" He reached me, reaching his arm up to grasp desperately at my shoulder. His hands, streaked with crimson with his own blood, stained my shirt and overcoat at his touch. (But something was off; his eyes, maybe? But...) "Come on, Natalie, you're on my side…."

I opened my mouth and shook my head, unable to speak.

"Near!" Light cried. "You missed something! You didn't know she knew about me all along! She supports me; she believes in me!"

"Wha… what…?" Matsuda asked softly, staring at me in disbelief.

"What?" Near asked flatly.

"Do it, Natalie, write their names!" Light implored, his desperation ever evident.

"Is this true?" asked Near coolly. "Did you know he was Kira all along?"

My mouth opened and closed, but I could only make strangled noises as I looked from Near to Light to Near to Light… all the while trying to ignore the distressed Matsuda.

And then there was a knocking sound, and the entire scene stopped where it was as every person in the warehouse looked over to the noise. L and Anna stood in the open doorway. "I think that that's enough," said L.

"Ryuuzaki?!" Aizawa gasped.

"DeNero?" Near asked confusedly. His eyes widened. "_L…?_"

"Yes," L confirmed. "Natsumi knew all along. And after a while, so did I."

"But…" Matsuda said blankly, "you're dead…."

"I don't know what's going on…," Near mumbled.

"L!" Light exclaimed. "You said you were done… with this…."

L shrugged. "I lie a lot."

"I suspected as much," Light scowled.

Anna squealed. "I can hear it!" she cried in delight.

"Hear what?" asked Gevanni.

"Near's thoughts!"

"…What?" Near asked.

"Oh, and I knew all along too," Sam said, raising her hand.

Near stared at her. "What?" he repeated.

"This will all be explained, of course," said L.

"So wait…," said Matsuda slowly. "L… is alive."

"It's impossible," said Near.

"I guess not," commented Halle.

"This makes no sense…," Near muttered, twirling his hair.

There was a scraping sound from above, and suddenly light was pouring in from the roof. "_Shit!_" someone exclaimed, and suddenly there was a body dropping in from the ceiling. Matsuda let out a yelp of surprise. The man's foot got caught on the rope that followed him, however, so he dangled by his ankle, his head a foot from the ground.

Near stared at him. "…Mello…?"

"Takada killed him!" Light protested to reality.

"Matt, you goddamned idiot!" Mello exclaimed. "Let me down!"

"Sorry!" called someone from above. Mello irately began untying the knot that held his ankle in place.

Sam burst into laughter. "Way to ruin the moment, Mello!"

Once the knot was untied, he fell with a _thud _to the ground, and soon Matt and Sierra were sliding down the rope one at a time.

"What is going on?" Near asked. He looked very confused.

"You don't know?" asked Matt.

Mello let out a bark of laughter. "For once, you're the one out of the loop, Near!"

"Hello, Mello," L greeted.

Mello looked at him. "Who the hell are…? Are you...?"

"L," L confirmed. "Pleased to meet the three of you."

Sam let out a squeal and ran from her hiding place behind Gevanni to glomp poor Matt. "Wha…?" said Matt, surprised. He winced at the impact, what with the gunshot wounds. Oops. "Hey…."

Sierra let out a small squeak when she saw Light, who was still practically bleeding to death on the floor at my feet. "Aw," she cried, "I don't want you to die…." She leaned down to hug him.

"Wha-? Ge-get off of me!" Light cried.

Sierra frowned and stalked over to Near, then slapped him square in the face. Matt laughed. Near rubbed his cheek and looked up at her. "What was that for?" he asked.

"Hey!" Anna cried. "Don't hurt him!"

Sierra stuck her tongue out at Anna.

"In any case," said L, stepping forward, "there is still Light to take care of."

"Yes," agreed Near. "He's still to be detained."

"Well, I don't want to wait through _that_," said Ryuk, and my heart dropped like a stone again.

_Okay,_ I thought._ Now what? Oh, I had no idea _this _was supposed to happen, but now…. _I took a deep breath. _Light. Light, can you hear me?_

_Of course I can, _he thought bitterly. _I always can._

_I know a way out of this. You just… you just have to—_

"Forfeit," he said aloud, his voice soft. He grinned. "Near, you can't touch me if I never did anything wrong. Ryuk… I forfeit. I forfeit ownership of the Death Note."

The whole room went quiet with surprise, save for Ryuk, who was snickering. Mello, luckily, didn't ruin the dramatic moment this time.

Ryuk shrugged, still seeming amused somehow. You'd think he'd be disappointed. "Alright, Light. Whatever you say."

"But wait," asked Matsuda. "If he does that, what'll happen?"

"He'll forget everything," L explained. "And when that happens, I hate to say this, but he's practically innocent."

"Like Misa Amane?" asked Matt.

"Yes," L replied.

I gazed at Light as his eyes widened. Suddenly the chattering at the back of my mind returned, and his feeling of confusion was clear to me. "What…?" he asked.

"You're Kira," Near muttered, annoyed. "That's what."

"So you know," said Ryuk with that grin still set in place as always, "that notebook is yours now, Near."

Near looked down at the Note and blinked.

Light shook his head, confused. "This doesn't make any sense."

Matsuda began to hesitantly laugh. You know, one of those nervous laughs that you make when you're not sure how to respond to something. And that laugh grew because he had to laugh, to release the nervous tension. "Oh, Light, glad to have you back!"

Light squinted at him. "I didn't go anywhere." He began trying to get to his feet, and I helped him up. "Besides," he said with a weak smile, "_you_ shot me, didn't you?"

"This is a stupid conclusion," Near muttered.

"For once, I agree with you," Mello frowned.

"Revenge is a double-edged sword!" Sierra snapped, whacking both of them over the head.

Light laughed weakly.

"Hey," I said, "can someone help me? Light can't support himself just yet…."

Matsuda immediately came over to help.

"Thanks," Light smiled. And his eyes, then, were pure and innocent. Anna's eyes.

And I didn't want to taint them.

* * *

**Okay. So. Too much canon? I hope I didn't kill you. But remember: things are never as they seem.**

**I wish I could have done better with this scene, I really do. *sigh* ...I liked the 'Mello falls from the ceiling' part, though. That was fun to write.**

_**Fun Fact**_**: I have this thing with innocence. It's one of those topics, those concepts that really affect me, I guess. From the moment I decided the ending, I wanted to connect the innocence in Light to that innocence I saw in Anna way back in one of the early chapters. Thus, that last line was born.**

**REMEMBER: Epilogue's out tomorrow! (And I do believe it's more of a 'real ending,' you know?) Plus the first chapter of the sequel's coming out too~**

**Review? For innocence? :D**


	35. Epilogue

**Dear readers, I present to you... _the epilogue!_**

_**Amy**_**: **Well,gosh, I feel special. Here's your epilogue~

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Epilogue

After being checked at the hospital, Light was placed in his old room at his mother's house for the time being, security cameras looking at him from every angle to ensure he didn't somehow re-find the notebook and thus regain his memories. He was to stay there until he recovered from his injuries. L told me to keep an eye on Light myself, too, since I'd know better than anyone whether he had his memories returned. Near, of course, burned the two remaining notebooks, and Mikami was put in jail. Soon after the whole ordeal at the Yellow Box warehouse, Matt, Mello, L, Near, Sierra, Anna, Sam, and I all gathered together in our hotel room to catch everyone up with what had happened and how it had happened.

L, Sierra, Anna and I explained how L was still alive, then Mello, Matt, and Sierra explained how Mello and Matt were alive…. Then my three friends and I gave a full explanation on how we were from another world, each of us filling in when one of us missed a detail. It was clarified that Anna would be tied with Near, as Anna would occasionally hear a thought or two. It made me feel bad for Near, though, if only because he had to take so much information in at once. I knew he could do it, though. He was a Wammy kid.

After everything was clarified, the eight of us just stayed awhile and… _talked._ L would often go stare at the monitors that showed Light, for he couldn't help but be suspicious he would make a comeback, but his watchful eyes yielded no results. To be honest, it was fun. Two emotionless people and a hothead all together with five fun-loving people – if Matt could be considered fun-loving in any way, shape, or form. Still, Anna even got Near to dance, if only for a few seconds, and although he was forced. (And actually, he was just sorta swung around, so….)

Light, meanwhile, lie in his bed, unable to rest. He gazed with pensive eyes at the water glass on his bedside table, still full. "I don't get it," he muttered to himself. "In that warehouse… why did I…?" He shook his head. "Don't over think it," he scolded himself. "I need to rest anyway if I want to heal quickly." He breathed a heavy sigh, then winced at the pain in his chest when he did so. _Why did Matsuda shoot me, though? _he wondered as the pain subsided. _Was it because I said I was Kira?_ He frowned. _Why did I say I was Kira? That was a stupid move. I should have known it would only get me hurt or killed._

He tried turning over onto his back. _But they had all the evidence against me. Why did they let me go? Because L came in? Because Mello was alive? No…. _Light frowned at the ceiling. _Look, I'm over thinking it again. Don't do that…. _He propped himself up on his elbows, then slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed, wincing at the pain that came with the movement. He sat on the edge of the bed a moment, looking around at his old room. _It's been so long since I've been here, _he thought. _At least it's nice…. It brings back old memories. Good times._ He took a deep breath, then got to his feet, then used his bedside table as a support. It wasn't his legs that hurt, but his legs were weak because of the pain that stabbed him in the chest whenever he moved. His shoulder and wrist weren't as bad, at least, though he would be changing bandages relatively often from here on, at least until he was healed enough that the wounds were no longer open.

_I wonder what sorts of things I left here…, _Light thought, heading slowly over to his desk to rummage through his drawers. "Hey," he commented, "it's all of my study notebooks." He kneeled on the floor to make himself more comfortable, riffling through the pages of his notebooks one at a time. "Hm?" he said as he lifted one of the notebooks up. _This one's a bit heavier than it looks…. _He opened it carefully to find a dark notebook inside. He leaned over it. "What…?" he wondered confusedly. "This better not be…." He picked it up with his hand, and in an instant, every memory flooded back into his mind at once, along with the corruption that poisoned him. He refrained from crying out, instead lifting his head sharply, consequently slamming his head on the top of his desk. He grimaced in pain.

L, back at the hotel, heard Light's yelp and gazed at the screen suspiciously.

"What was it?" asked Sam.

L frowned at the screen a moment, playing around with the camera views. "Nothing…," he said eventually, walking away, back to the rest of us. "He's hit his head on his desk."

Sam laughed. "Wow, fail!"

And Light? Light, as he knelt on the floor of his former home, had his lips twitch into a small smile. "Oops," he mumbled aloud. But in his mind, guarded so I could not hear, was a single, resounding thought:

_Just as planned._

* * *

**...**

**What, did you honestly think Light would go down just like that? That he didn't anticiapte all of this and actually lost? That the Kira case was really over?**

**Haha.**

**NOPE.**

_**Fun Fact**_**: When I first came up with this ending, I was planning to not write a sequel. You know, just leave it hanging like that so no one would have to win or lose or die. But that was back when this was a side story. And I ended up writing onward...**

**So, next story's up! Title: _It Is What It Is_! ...Haha. It's the 'It Is' series...**

**Review? For plans going as planned? Ah, hell, for the ending of this story? :D**


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